Robert Ruffin King V

From a young age, Ruffin was easy to pick out from a crowd with his tall frame and exceptionally white shock of blonde hair. As he grew older and added inches to his height, he began to stand out for other reasons, too, based largely on a deeply kind and sweet essence that was grounded at his very core. Anyone who interacted with Ruffin could feel the way in which he cared about other people simply for who they were, no matter their standing or status. He was always respectful to waiters, engaging with children, and attentive to animals. He had high integrity and was very funny in his own unique and quiet way. He was and always will be a kind soul.

Ruffin graduated from the University of Virginia this Winter, his dream school since he was a child trick-or-treating on the Lawn, with a B.A. degree in Foreign Affairs with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He attended St. Anne’s-Belfield for high school, graduating in 2016.

Ruffin was a lifelong sports fan of UVA and the Miami Dolphins. In addition to hanging out with his friends and watching sports, he enjoyed games of pickup basketball. He was an accomplished junior tennis player, competing in many USTA regional events over the years.

Ruffin will be deeply missed by his family and friends. The former group includes his parents Adelaide and Ruffin King; twin sister Alexandra King; aunts and uncles Catherine, Pendleton, Daphne, Wade, Heather, John and Suzanne King; Peter and Sandra Conway; Brett and Melissa Bond; and Reid and Suzanne Wilcox; first cousins Valerie, Andrew, Phoebe and Evan Saunders; Justin, Anna, Bahan, Pendleton, Hampton, Bridges, Carly, Jaqueline, Robert and Riley King; Peter, Ben, and Adelaide Conway; Brett, Lucinda and Reid Bond, and Ben, Henry and Ellie Wilcox. Two adults who were particularly important in Ruffin’s life were his godmother Elizabeth McMillan Hagood, and his Wednesday lunch buddy Elaine Brown. And, of course, his loving and trusted canine companion: Winnie.

An online-only memorial service will be live-streamed at 1pm on Saturday, February 6, 2021, via Olivet Presbyterian Church’s YouTube channel, with Rev. Seth Lovell officiating. The service can be accessed through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcphLkdCAt_yWcd8yBr4aLg

Following the memorial service, a private graveside service will take place at Olivet Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Ruffin’s memory through a donation to the Charlottesville SPCA or to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, With Love for Ruffin King Campaign, through the following link: https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.personalCampaign&participantID=2387689