Margaret Ruffner

Margaret “Margo” Ruffner ( Maxwell), 85 of (The Garlands in Barrington, IL), passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026. She was born on January 16, 1941 in Boonville, Missouri.

Margo met the love of her life Kemp Ruffner in July of 1959 and they were married on June 27, 1964. Together, they enrolled in and attended University of Missouri. While earning her degree she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and went on to become an alumni Coordinator.

She worked as a television journalist for KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri for three years. During her time with the television station, she was responsible for the scripts used by anchors to deliver updates on the death of President John F. Kennedy.

Margo dedicated her early years being an Altar Guild/member of St. Marks’s Episcopal Church and after retirement, enjoyed cruising down the Baha of Mexico as 1st mate on the family boat and vacationing to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She was a member of the San Diego Yacht Club, outstanding golfer, pianist, and member of a book club. Her family was her top priority.

She raised her family in Barrington 1977 to 1994 then to CA with a job transfer, recently returning to Barrington in June,

She is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Kemp Ruffner; children, Jennifer (Tom Greenaway) Ruffner and Nancy (Christopher) Plummer; grandchildren, Elizabeth Mitchell, Hunter Mitchell, Alexander Plummer and Lauren Plummer.

The visitation will be held on Saturday, March 28 from 2pm-3PM and a service will begin at 3:15 PM with a private inurnment to follow. All to be held at St. Marks Episcopal Church, 337 Ridge Road, Barrington Hills, IL 60010.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Parkinsons Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310, Miami, Florida 33126.