Isabella "Tootie" Eva Ruffin

Isabella Eva Ruffin graced this world on June 19th 1953 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana to loving parents Annemarie Eva DeLacey and Joseph Nathan Ruffin Jr. In her early years, Isabella’s father would go on to give her the nickname “Tootie”; a name for which she insisted to be called until she took her last breath on April 23, 2022.

As a military brat, Tootie spent majority of her childhood traveling with her siblings between Indiana, Germany, and California, splitting a majority of her adolescence in Seaside, California with her father, and Indianapolis, Indiana with her mother. Like all eight of the Ruffin children, Tootie was musically gifted and precocious. She graduated from North Central High School, played the flute, had a wonderful singing voice, and was a music enthusiast. She was known for her scintillating smile, boisterous spirit, and fervent belief in rooting for and taking care of the underdogs and outcasts of the world.

Tootie found tremendous joy in taking care of her family and friends; making sure that they enjoyed the finer things in life. Tootie spent most of her time taking her siblings to restaurants, buying her nieces and nephews clothes, and overall spoiling those closest to her. Over the years, her house in Indianapolis became a form of refuge to family and even friends of the family; who could always count on a listening ear, a safe place to stay, a hot plate (plus one to-go), a big hug, the hard truth, and a good time. She took care of everyone; even making sure to tell the younger nieces and nephews to come to her house if they ever wanted to run away. Her love for taking care of people and friendly personality led her to take on a career at juvenile centers and drive the Monterey city bus. In her mid-thirties, Tootie began creating a web of family and friends through her braiding expertise, exceptional bingo and card skills, and frequent trips to “the boat”; all for which she reigned supreme. There were very few people that could outcook Tootie (especially her legendary dressing), out party Tootie, or out Bingo Tootie.

While Tootie’s life was filled with a tremendous amount of love and happiness, it was not without difficulties. Often times the equivocal nature of her behavior and personality was misunderstood leading her to foster care throughout her younger years. She went through the hardship of the murder of her youngest sister, the loss of her father to cancer (she cared for him while sick), and the recent loss of our beloved matriarch, and Tootie’s mother, Annemarie. Throughout her lifetime, Tootie suffered through 5 major brain surgeries, each taking a tremendous toll on her mental and physical health. But throughout all of her trials and tribulations, Tootie continued to preserve and to believe in God. She used her belief as a catalyst to keep smiling, keep loving, and keep spreading joy until her last breath.

Tootie was preceded in death by her mother Annemarie DeLacey; father, Joseph N. Ruffin Jr.; step-father, Walter DeLacey; sister, Tina Marie Ruffin; nephew, Vincent Buckner; and brother-in-law Carl Jones.

Tootie continues to live through those she left behind including: daughter Latrice Ruffin, Grandbaby Taylor Ruffin, honorary grandbaby Brice Golden, her 5 sisters: Josephine Jones, Catherine Kennard, Sonja Burdix, Lorraine Sanders, Rosalie Black Blow, and brother Joseph Ruffin III; over 38 nephews and nieces and a host of cousins and friends.