Joe Ruff, 90, of New Holland, Ohio died Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 9 p.m. at the Adena Fayette Medical Center where he had been a patient two weeks.
Joe was born May 25, 1936, in Logan, Ohio to Donald William and Ivy Irene Rittgers Ruff. He was a graduate of Logan High School and moved to Sugar Grove in 1959. He had been residing in New Holland since 1986.
He had previously worked at Columbia Gas, General Mills and Anchor Hocking before retiring from Clarklift of Columbus in 2000.
Joe was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Circleville and was a United States Army veteran. He enjoyed working on and building tractors. He was a professional tractor puller and was a member of the National Tractor Pullers Association.
He is survived by his wife, the former Helen Louise Hicks whom he married March 15, 2002; two children, Janet Cochenour and her husband, Dean, of Hilton Head, SC, William Todd Ruff of Oyster Bay, NY; a stepson, Dean Redd of Lancaster; three grandsons, Kyle and Alex Cochenour and Ethan Ruff; a great grandson; Liam Cochenour and two sisters, Jane Shaw of Chillicothe and Joyce Steinbrink of Canal Winchester.
A graveside service will be held Friday, October 23, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Hitler-Ludwig Cemetery near Circleville with Pastor Mark Nado, minister at Trinity Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will be under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in New Holland.
There will be no calling hours.
www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com
Full service details and the family guest book are available at Kirkpatrick Funeral Home.