Updated January 15, 2026

September 4, 1953 — January 9, 2026 

  

Jesse James Ruffin, Jr. was born in Cleveland on September 4, 1953, to Jesse J. and Gladys Mae Asberry Ruffin, Sr. As the eldest child, he accepted the responsibility to look after his younger siblings — Reynold, Gladys, Julia, and Jonathan — while their parents worked.

After attending John Hay HS, Jesse became a full-time water treatment purification operator at the City of Cleveland Water Treatment Plant in 1973, where he stayed until 1979. He later worked at the Fairport Harbor [1980-82] and Painesville water treatment plants [1982-86]. While working fulltime, Jesse took real estate courses at Cuyahoga Community College, John Carroll University, and Hondros College.

Upon obtaining his real estate sales license in 1980, Jesse began his real estate career as a part-time real estate agent at McMullan Realty while continuing to work at the Painesville Water Treatment Plant. He received his Brokers License from the Ohio Board of Realtors Board in 1987, at which time he established his own brokerage, Ruffin Real Estate, until October 12, 2025.

Jesse was a member of the Akron/Cleveland Board of Realtors, Greater Cleveland Realtists Association, Ohio Association of Realtors, Ohio Association of Realtists, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). He received awards from both NAREB and its local affiliate in for his outstanding service.

Jesse met his soulmate Carolyn Laverne Allen in 1974 and they wed on February 1, 1977. Their union produced three children: Carmen Monique, Tosha Marie, and Jesse James, III. The family worshipped at Greater Friendship Baptist Church until they joined East Mount Zion Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio in 1981. Jesse served in many roles at church, including as a member of the Male Chorus and Brotherhood. He was ordained as a Deacon in October 1995 by the late Rev. Dr. A. Charles Bowie and continued as an active member of East Mt. Zion until his death.

Jesse and Carolyn continued to work together in the family business at Ruffin Real Estate Company until 2014. After Carolyn's death on May 5, 2018, following several injuries possibly related to staffing shortages at various healthcare facilities, Jesse started an Initiative Petition, called the Nursing Facility Patients' Bill of Rights, to amend the Ohio Constitution. The petition has become known as Carolyn's Law. Jesse spent years organizing petition drives to gather signatures from registered Ohio voters in all eighty-eight counties to get Carolyn's Law on the ballot board, receiving over 60,000 signatures to date. Carolyn's Law was certified by the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on June 30, 2021 and approved by the Ohio Board of Elections on July 14, 2021.

Jesse's longtime family friend of thirty years, Grace Rice, who helped advocate for Carolyn's Law, later became a genuine companion and significant other to him throughout his final years of life.

Jesse enjoyed taking road trips with his family to different states over the years to visit relatives and spend quality time together. He liked to play chess, watch boxing marathons, prepare banquets for family and friends, and spend time with his grandchildren, whom he called his “little pooh-poohs”.. He had special handshakes for the grandsons and special hugs for the granddaughters.

Jesse died peacefully at home on January 9, surrounded by his children, siblings, and close family members. In addition to Carolyn, his wife of 41 years, Jesse was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Gladys Erkard.

He leaves to cherish his memory his significant other, Grace Rice (Michael, deceased); his daughters Carmen M. Ruffin-Stiner (Marcus) and Tosha M. Anderson (Dwayne); his son Jesse James Ruffin, III (Carole); his brothers Reynold Ruffin (Diane (Shaw)) and Jonathan Ruffin (Laura, deceased); his sister Dr. Julia Ruffin; and ten grandchildren: Jaia Naveh Ruffin, Tristen Taron Ruffin-Williams, Sean Michael Ruffin, Naomi Zyana Ruffin, Uriah Joshua Ruffin, Sheik Anderson, Selah Faith Ruffin, Hannah Grace Ruffin, Sophia Gabriella Ruffin, and Josiah David Ruffin; brothers-in-law Dr. James Thomas Erkard, Jr. and Marlon Allen; sisters-in-law Tanya Prowell (Wayne, deceased) and Patricia Allen (Leroy Jr., deceased); and a host of other relatives, extended family, church family, and friends.

The funeral service will be held at 10:30a on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at East Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 9990 Euclid Ave. [44106]. There will be a public viewing at Watson's Funeral Home, 10913 Superior Ave. [44106] on Friday, January 16 from 10a-7p.

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