Jerard “Jerry” Goeke Ruff, MD, age 90, died peacefully with family by his side at IU Health Hospice House on October 19, 2021.
Longtime Bloomington physician, fitness advocate, athlete and sports fan, as well as a dedicated supporter of numerous community programs and organizations, Jerry was a proud and true Hoosier who thought globally while engaging and acting locally.
In 1965, the recently minted Dr. Ruff was thrilled to answer the call of need for an additional pediatrician in Bloomington, and he provided excellent care to countless area youths over the years; for some families he provided medical service for multiple generations before retiring from practice in 1996.
Jerry was born January 27, 1931, in Evansville, Indiana; he and two older sisters were raised by their strong and devoted mother, Ann Hermine Goeke Ruff LaChapelle. Throughout his life, he attributed the best of himself to the example of his mother, saying, “she was such a smart, hard-working, and amazing woman.”
As a boy in Evansville, Jerry began carrying newspapers, delivering to over 400 customers a day by age 10. In his early teens, he won a paid trip to Washington DC, as the top news carrier in the tri-state region. Newspaper delivery was a job he truly enjoyed and continued throughout his medical school years and beyond, as he frequently helped his sons deliver their paper routes on the north side of Bloomington in the 1970s.
Jerry graduated from Evansville Central in 1949, and came to Bloomington as an Indiana University freshman that same year. His experiences with student activities and especially intramural sports at IU made him a lifetime devotee of both Bloomington and the university. He rode in the inaugural Little 500 race in 1951, and his North Hall Friars team captured the winning trophy in the 1952 and ’53 races. He also coached outstanding teams for Sigma Nu in the mid-50s and was elected to the first class of the Little 500 Hall of Fame.
His college studies were interrupted by two years in the Army, where he made some forever friends. Inevitably, he returned to Bloomington and graduated from IU with a degree in history. In Jerry’s final year working on courses for pre-med, he met IU freshman, Nancy Jane Rennaker. They married in 1958, just prior to his entering the IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Nancy was the true love of his life and his constant companion; they were privileged to work together for years in Jerry’s medical office, and she was by his side when he passed away.
Following graduation from medical school and his pediatric residency at Riley Hospital, Jerry and Nancy moved to Bloomington to raise their family of four boys. In 1980 he began a two-year allergy and immunology fellowship at the University of Louisville, and afterward returned to practice in Bloomington until his retirement.
He served the Bloomington community in many additional capacities through the years– such as school physician for the MCCSC, as fundraiser and board member of the YMCA, and through countless hours and actions to support Harmony School with its innovative model of “whole-person support” for students. A lifetime advocate for social justice and expanded civil rights, he served on the original Human Rights Commission in Bloomington from 1969 to 1971.
He was a legendarily spirited competitor and enjoyed playing many sports, but eventually focused his athletic passion on distance running. An early advocate for the benefits of running since the early 1970s, Jerry was long active in the Bloomington Track Club, in addition to several other Indiana running and racing organizations. He completed fifty-three marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times, and ran innumerable races in every state in the country. He served as director for several area road races over the course of three decades and was the organizer of the popular racing series, the Mag-7.
Jerry was suspicious of greed and never admired the acquisition of wealth for its own sake. He celebrated those who gave their time, energy, and resources generously; he was an inveterate booster of the underdog and little guys. He appreciated the fellowship of the First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington where he attended with his family for decades, and he tried to put into practice Christian values of service and responsibility to others. He bequeathed his body to the Indiana University School of Medicine Anatomical Education Program.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and four sons: Michael E. Ruff of Jasper, Indiana, Andrew J. Ruff of Bloomington, Theodore A. Ruff of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Joseph C. Ruff of Port Republic, Maryland. He is survived by daughters-in-law: Susan Bollman, Leslie Ruff, and Stacey Hann-Ruff. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren — Anna, Charlie, Paula Quinn, Abbie, Sophie, Camille, Hank, JJ, Addy, Lauren, Lainey, and Cate — and 3 great grandchildren.
A memorial service/celebration of life will be at First Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, on November 27 at 11:00 am. Visitation with the family will begin an hour prior at 10:00 am and will continue after the service.
A wonderful write up about a wonderful man.
I’m a mediocre long distance runner whose running path ran straight into Doc Ruff and whose life was profoundly made better by it for the rest of my life.
His enthusiasm for our sport and the way he approached each race and each runner, no matter how fast they were, made all of us no matter where we finished in the results feel special.
I tried to copy how he put on his races and the festive atmosphere each of his races had. The balloons, the signs, the multi colored Mag 7 forms with all the multi colored stamps and the prizes.
The basketball tickets, TV’s, nearly every single runner that attended his races benefitted sooner or later but most of all it was just his basic caring for each and every person who he ran across.
In a sport where for years we of the road racing variety were treated like 2nd class athletes, he treated us all like olympians.
I will be forever grateful for that and forever grateful of our ( at least) monthly talks by telephone.
Doc was one of a kind and tragically irreplaceable.
My husband, Bob Schrier, was a medical school classmate of Jerry at IU. That is where we became friends with Jerry and Nancy, sharing rides and a love of sports and devotion to family and community. Through the years Jerry delighted us with his whimsical letters and art work. Bob and Jerry were in many aspects “the dynamic duo” sharing a passion for Hoosier athletics and the practice of medicine. Bob passed away last January and now Jerry is gone. I like to think of them together court side in Heaven or discussing Jerry’s best marathon and bike ride!
Sending my love and sympathy to Nancy and family. Jerry’s memory is blessing.
Barbara Schrier
Dr. Ruff was the wonderful and caring pediatrician for all four of our children. He was a good doctor and cared about his community.
Nancy and family…
We have all kept you and your family in our thoughts and prayers, since the notification from our sister Susan & brother-in-law Andy this past month of Jerry’s decline. It has been a pleasure meeting and spending quality family time in Indiana and Michigan with you, Jerry and the rest of your family. The meals, flowers, and not to mention, “all for the love of the music,” spear headed by Andy and Susan our hosts in Bloomington is where it all started at their home. Alongside them, other great artists and musicians Hank, Adam, Siana, Jeffrey, Laura Lee, Rudger and other friends and family members came and gathered around our circles, always warmed our hearts and our parents especially in their older years. We we’re honored to go to some Honky Tonks with Hank & Mikayla and have them overnight with us this past memorial day at our ranch, while passing through on their journey to New Braunfels, we met up in Helotes, then to Bandera. Our close knit bond with the Ruff family has touched our hearts deeply and will continue throughout the many family gatherings. Peace be with you everyday during these sacred events to come, Thanksgiving, the memorial service/celebration of life and the Christmas Holiday when the support of close friends, family and church parish members will warm your soul, feed and heal your voids of this remarkable soul.
Jeffrey and I unfortunately are unable to make it to the services for Jerry. We will be caring for and planting a Carolina Sapphire Arizona Cypress on our Bandera, Texas property in memory of Jerry Ruff & Lawrence Bollman this coming January. Two great fathers coming together all for the love of camaraderie between friends growing into family.
Blessings to all.
Jeffrey & Laura Lee Bollman and their Family… Tim & Amanda Piatek; Rudger Bollman, Eric Harvey & Emily Gibson, Dylan, Mason, Lizzy & Vinny
Nancy and family. We were so sorry to hear the news of Jerry’s passing. He was a very kind man. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.