Bessie Mae Rufus

BESSIE MAE RUFUS was born to Jesse Lee Williams and Margaruita Tate Williams, in Mineola, Texas. Mrs. Rufus acknowledged her Heavenly Father at an early age, at St. Paul Baptist Church in Mineola. She completed her formal education at Lindale Colored High School. On a Greyhound Bus to Dallas to visit a relative, Mrs. Rufus met the love of her life...Mr. John Lee Rufus. After a short courtship, they married on July 26, 1953, and remained so until John’s passing on September 30, 2008.

MRS. RUFUS was an avid domino player. She and Mr. Rufus could be heard on many evenings trying to find “money” for “tennis shoes”! Bessie found after Mr. Rufus’ passing, that the Senior Citizens Center (on Lancaster), also had many domino players looking for those “double counters”! Bessie worked as a Nurse Assistant for over 35 years before retiring due to illness.

BESSIE MAE leaves to mourn her absence, her niece, Brenda DeVaughn, Tyler, Texas; nephews, Victor R. Arthur (Loretta Faye), Naples, Texas, and Samuel Arthur, Tyler, Texas. Adopted In Christ nephews, Rev. Ronald Rogers (Veronica), Wills Point, Texas and James Holiness, Dallas, Texas. She also leaves a nation of cousins, grand, great-grand, and great great-grand-nieces and nephews, as well as loyal and loving friends.

BESSIE leaves to cherish her memory her Williams family, sisters, Valerie Smith and Regina Wright (Frank); special cousin, Myra Walton all of Dallas, Texas; brother, Jessie “Bubba” Williams, Dallas, Texas; along with a loving host of cousins, nieces and nephews going four generations deep.

BESSIE RUFUS loved her inherited Mrs. Ruthie D. Rufus-Callahan (Jernigan) family. She has left an empty space in the hearts of grandson, Mr. Victor Callahan, Minnesota; granddaughters, Mrs. Vickie Durham, Balch Springs, Texas and Mrs. Kammie Reed (Donald), Los Angeles, California, and a wonderful number of relatives and friends, to include 48 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren and 50 great-great grandchildren, great-great-great grandchildren…six generations.