We just heard the news... Such an amazing man with a wonderful talent. We are so proud to have known him and he will be missed so.

Margie; We will all miss him & all the help & tutoring;Great friend ;Peace be with him. David Childers Spring Tex

Ruffin used to go deer hunting with us in the Nueces River canyon near Camp Wood, TX.  We always had a great time.  I'm fortunate to be the proud owner of a few of his knives and their quality is unsurpassed.  He was a great guy and we'll miss him.

Marjorie
Auntie Aynn just told me thought I would come by and share a thought.
I will never forget being at your home when I was little. I remember Patsy and Bradley and your little Dachshund DD....AKA DUMB DOG...LOL
I now have a Dachshund of my own,ever since I met DD I always wanted a Dachshund. Her name is Ginger.She is actually a smart dog, so couldn't name her DD. :)
Melissa Smith ( Cary Smith's daughter)

Margie & Johnson family (and Sandy),
I only met Ruffin once but I adored him & was looking forward to seeing him in the near future. I thought of him in October when I used the knife at my parents home that he so generously gave to my father a few years ago. God Bless Ruffin! He was a talented, gifted, wonderful man. I am so sorry and so sad.

Jean Quintero

Our condolences to Ruffin's family. We have many wonderful memories of times spend on a lease outside of Carlos years ago. He was a wonderful person.

i will miss talking to you on the phone and our good laughs and conversations about knives marjorie you have my sympathy mike todaro chester illinois

My memories of Ruffin were that of a very kind dad who loved his family. He was always kidding with Patty and I when we were in high school.  I never saw him angry or too busy to talk with you. He had a great smile with such an upbeat spirit.
 Prayers and hugs Marjorie, Patty, Brad and the entire family.
Love and warmth,
Missy

May God above be with each and everyone of you at this sad time. Ruffin was a kind hearted gentle man. Our hearts are sad and broken for your loss. Ruffin, was a good friend of my mother's growing up in San Antonio. Rest in peace.   Catherine Schreiber Newberger(San Antonio)

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. He was an artist, a craftsman, a loving father, a good husband and friend to all who knew him.

My condolences to Marjorie and the family. I was introduced to Ruffin by a friend and always had a great appreciation for him as both a friend and a knife maker. I will miss his conversations and the visits that we had together.

May God bless and comfort all of Ruffin's family and friends at this time of sadness and grief. Ruffin had to be a much admired and loved husband, father, and grandfather, due to his strong character,his great sense of humor, and his joy of living. 
I was a beginning knifemaker in the early seventies along with Ruffin, and we swapped many stories and lots of information with each other at Houston gun shows in the Astrohall and in our shop. He was an excellent craftsman and artist and very generous with sharing his knowledge.
I saw him at the Knife show in Round Rock last spring and am very thankful to have had that opportunity to visit with that man whose talents I admired so much. Mike Harrigan, Silver Fox Knives

I never knew Mr. Johnson personally, only through his knives.  He was a master craftsman and all of us in the knife community share a little in your family's loss.  May God comfort you.

Ruffin's sense of humor and willingness to help other makers will be sorely missed.
He will live in our memories.

We send our condolences to Marjorie and the family. We all will miss Ruffin's
sense of humor and good times we had at Knife Shows over the years.

Jim & Lance at Texas Knifemakers Supply

May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.

As the fates would have it....Ruffin crossed my mind several days ago.  Ruffin and I go back to old Fannin Elementary school and short pants during the depression years.  We were all poor as church mice and didn't know it....or care!  Ruffin and I played baseball on the barren playground and we skipped and wrapped the May Pole each spring, as was the custom in those days.  We did Halloween tricks in October...none of this "treat" stuff for us. He and I always used to greet each other by calling one another, "Mr. "J." We were so grown up in those days.

In later life, I would run into Ruffin at the gun shows and we would talk over school days.

I had not seen or heard of him for many years now and I am sorry for that!

Prayers and condolences to his family...the world is a better place for his having passed this way.

Ruffin had a way of lighting up a crowd with his infectious smile.  He was an amazing artist.   He will be truly missed by all who knew him.

Glenda Crawford

     I will always cherish our time we had together. Whether it was making knifes , fishing or just visiting. You had a big influence on me and taught me alot.  You will be missed, but remembered.     Shane Nelson

Marge,   
         We are sorry to hear about your loss. Ruffin was a wonderrful friend. I will miss the times we had. When he would come to my shop with popsicles and we would sit and talk about fishing, guns and knifes. He will sure be missed.       From G.L Gun Works and staff, Gary Lucario and Family

Ruffin was a good man,a great artist, and a hunting and fishing friend who will be very much missed.

Jay Rodney (San Antonio, Tx)

I remember him laughing and joking around and of course his beautifully detailed knives. I am thinking of you all.

Ruffin was a good and talanted man. I will miss our visits.

Allen Davey
Willis, Tx

Marge...so sorry to learn of your loss.  Praying God will comfort your family at this time as you mourn your loss and at the same time celebrate Ruffin's life.  Sorry we are unable to be there....but know we are there in spirit lifing you up in prayers.  Love to all....Johanna and Dick....I shared the news with Meme and Rodney also....

My condolences to the Johnson family during  your time of grief. I had the pleasure of knowing Ruffin for many years as well as meeting with him in his shop.  His knives will always be a part of my permanent collection and I will miss our phone conversations.  I was always known to him as Spitz and was most happy he had a "special" name for me.  I was one of the first to receive a computer email on that "danged machine". I will miss his smile and good nature, but will always remember him for the fine person he was. Most sincerely, Peter Spitzner (Gilbert, AZ)

Majune,                                   You will never realize how much you and Ruffin meant to Carolyn and myself.You where there at the birth of our children,participated in many family functions and events and a great part of our lives.I will truly miss Ruffin and remember the wonderful adventures we had together like hunting ,fishing and knife shows.He was my mentor,my teacher,but most importantly he was my FRIEND...

Marge,

Ruffin was such a talented and generous man.  He donated one of his fabulous knives every year to our annual B-Simp Golf Tournament.  His knives always brought in so much, helping to benefit an Austin College student who receives the scholarship we set up in memory of our daughter, Brittany.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Joy Simpson

Marge,
  It is a great privilege to have known
Ruffin, not only as a superb knife maker,
but also as a hunting and fishing buddy.
I will surely miss him and think of him
often.

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

I never had the opportunity to meet Ruffin. He did however provide me with goals in  knife making just through what I say he did so well. Peace be with him and all of his family.  Frank Niro.   Britsh Columbia,Canada.

Marge,
We were so sorry to hear about your loss.
Ruffin was a wonderful man.  Donnie and I will never forget him. Donnie appreciates all the time and patience Ruffin spent with him while teaching him how to make his knife. His memory will be with us every time we look at his knives.  Love Donnie & Connie Magott

May God Bless and comfort you and your entire family during this time of grief...
John & Maxine Leathers (Midland, TX)

Our condolences to Marjie and family, our prayers are with you through this trying time. We will surely miss Ruffin as a great friend and a great tutor.
Percy & Lynne Richardson

OBITUARY

Ruffin Paine Johnson

September 2, 1931 – November 24, 2011

Calvary Hill Funeral Home & Cemetery

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