Barbara Sue Ruffner

Funeral services for Barbara Sue Ruffner, 77, of Bonham, will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, July 24, 2021 at First United Methodist Church under the direction of Wise Funeral Home.  Rev. Liz Talbert and Rev. Dana Coker will officiate.  Burial will follow in Arledge Ridge Cemetery.  Barbara passed away Tuesday afternoon, July 20, 2021 at Texoma Medical Center, Bonham Hospital.

Barbara was born September 1, 1943 in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Charles Maurice Pierce and Margaret Esther Thayer Pierce.  She was a 1961 graduate of Irving High School and a 1964 graduate of SMU and Methodist Hospital School of Nursing where she received her Registered Nurse degree.  On February 2, 1963, Barbara married the love of her life, Isaac Boyd Ruffner in Dallas, Texas.  They moved to Bonham in 1973 where she set up the OB and Nursery departments at Fannin County Hospital.  Barbara wrote grant applications to get government funding to establish the Licensed Vocational Nursing program at the hospital where she was the director and teacher.  Other than her family, this was her proudest accomplishment.  Many of her students went on to become registered nurses and one became a nurse practitioner.  Barbara's greatest love was her family, and she passed on to her children and grandchildren the love of reading, music, and art.  She also shared with them her sense of fairness, honesty, compassion, justice, creativity, education and humor.  Her laugh could fill the room with joy.  She loved buying gifts for others, growing flowers and gardening.  Barbara was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church where she was instrumental in starting a mentoring program between the Church and Finley-Oates Elementary in Bonham.  Barbara positively impacted everyone she came in contact with, and her influence will live on forever. She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother, William Pierce and brother, Robert Thayer Pierce.

Barbara leaves to cherish her memories her husband of 58 years, Boyd Ruffner of Bonham, TX; three daughters, Jennifer Ruffner Irwin (Chris) of Sherman, TX, Julie Roberts of Bonham, TX, and Sarahbeth Holman (Rob) of McKinney, TX; Swiss exchange student, Philipp Rutz (Julie) of Switzerland; a brother, Gordon C. Pierce (Kathy) of Georgetown, TX; a sister, Peggy (Margaret) Elvington (Billy) of Commerce, TX; 7 grandchildren, Cooper Irwin, Alekai Midthune, Jesse Midthune, Jerome Midthune, Beau Roberts, Emma Holman and Elliott Holman; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

The family will receive friends at Wise Funeral Home from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday night, July 23, 2021.

Memorials may be made to the Fannin County Children's Center, 152 W. 5 ^th St., Bonham, TX or First United Methodist Church, 801 Star St., Bonham, TX 75418.