Priscilla Joy (Slater-Thoma) Ruff

Priscilla Joy Ruff, 90, died peacefully June 17, at Edgewater Community in West Des Moines, IA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines. Visitation will be one hour prior to Mass. Burial will be in Glendale Cemetery. Priscilla, affectionately called Percy, was born on July 23, 1925, to Helen Thoma and Walter Slater in Kalamazoo, MI. On February 19, 1946 she married James Ruff in South Bend, IN. She and Jim recently celebrated their 70th anniversary. The couple lived in Mt. Prospect, IL; Allentown, PA; Rochester, NY; and Plano/McKinney, TX, prior to moving to West Des Moines in 2010. An only child, Percy’s greatest joy was being a mother. She radiated love and kindness, especially for her children – and to any animal on earth. Percy was also a very talented artist and gifted quilter, loved to cook, and enjoyed volunteering wherever she could assist. Anyone she met was her lifelong friend. Percy is survived by her husband, Jim, and their four children: Jim Ruff of Plano, TX; Sue (Mike) Sherzan, of West Des Moines; Pat (Jeff) Muradian of Minneapolis, MN; and Beth (Scott) Rogers of The Colony, TX; 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church or the Animal Rescue League. Online condolences may be expressed at www.caldwellparrish.com.