William Donald Ruffin

William Donald Ruffin was born on October 27, 1946, in Troy, New York, at The Leonard Hospital to Kathryn Deloria Dent and William H. Ruffin. He departed this life on May 16, 2025.

During his early childhood, William's family relocated to Los Angeles, California. He attended schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District, including Main Street Elementary, John Muir Junior High School, and Manual Arts High School, where he proudly served as Senior Class President for the Class of 1964.

He pursued higher education at Los Angeles City College, earning an Associate of Arts degree, and later graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. William also took additional journalism courses at the University of Southern California (USC) and authored several articles for various local newspapers.

William's spiritual journey began at Westminster Presbyterian Church and continued at Crenshaw Christian Center, both in Los Angeles.

He served honorably in the United States Army as a Military Police officer during the Vietnam War era, with a deployment in North Korea. He was awarded an Honorable Discharge in recognition of his service.

Professionally, William began his career as a Corrections Officer with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, where he also held the role of President of the Peace Officers Association. Later, he joined the Black Employees Association (BEA), a nonprofit organization, where he served as a dedicated Labor Advocate, representing the interests of county employees.

William had a wide range of passions. He loved watching sports, reading both his Bible and the newspaper, enjoying his favorite TV shows, and performing stand-up comedy after taking classes in the art form. A true music enthusiast, he had an impressive vinyl collection and had a deep appreciation for various genres. He especially loved traveling to Hawaii, often greeting others with the signature phrase, “Hang loose,” accompanied by the familiar hand gesture.

William is survived by his beloved daughter, Ebony L. Ruffin, and her mother, Josephine Ruffin, his former wife; his cherished grandson, Kyne; his former wife, Barri-Ann Ruffin; his lifelong friend, Harold Dixon; his long-time partner, Paula Stokes; and a host of dear friends and extended family members.