To plant trees in memory, please visit the. A former Louisiana State University All-American lineman, Ruffin Rodrigue is the owner of Ruffino's on the River, the premier Italian-Creole fusion restaurant in Lafayette. He was 53. Ruffin Rodrigue, owner of Ruffino's restaurant and a former LSU football player, died unexpectedly Tuesday night from a heart attack. Fellow restaurateurs frequently turned to Rodrigue when they needed a hand with lobbying at the Legislature or in Congress. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41.10). He made Ruffino's a home away from home for his family of customers. "We lost a pillar of the industry that helped reshape it in the last few years.". "Ruffino's is saddened to announce that our owner and founder Ruffin Rodrigue Jr. passed away unexpectedly last night. ", OBITUARY FOR RUFFIN ADAM RODRIGUE, JR. - 1967-2020. Restaurant guests returned again and again to "celebrate life"- a guiding principle of the restaurant. The owner and founder of Ruffino's Restaurant in Baton Rouge has died, the restaurant announced on Facebook. Prince of a guy. Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, Jr., age 53, passed away in Baton Rouge, LA, on November 25, 2020. Rodrigue graduated in marketing from LSU and worked for Mockler Beverage in Baton Rouge before becoming general manager of DiNardo's restaurant, which was at the location of the current Ruffino's in Baton Rouge on Highland Road and opened in 1998. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He is survived by his loving wife, Alison Seamster Rodrigue, and their two children, Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, III, and Margaret Anne Rodrigue; his father and brothers Gawain Thomas Rodrigue and Braden Paul Rodrigue; and many adoring relatives. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. His two beloved children, Adam and Maggie, were his very best accomplishments and greatest source of joy. Ruffino's in Baton Rouge has been a popular spot for national media members as well as LSU fans before and after LSU football, basketball and baseball games for decades. LSUs football players lounge has a new name: the Mathieu Players Lounge. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The friendships and experiences during his time at LSU sustained him for decades and served as the foundation for a successful business career. 1:00 BATON ROUGE Ruffin Rodrigue Jr., a gregarious and popular former LSU football player turned successful restaurateur, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack. "I looked up to him because he played before me and helped me," he said. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Ruffin Rodrigue was the founder and owner of Ruffino's restaurant with locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, and was a former LSU football player, playing for the Tigers from 1986 to 1989. With a degree in marketing, Ruffin entered the food and beverage industry and became owner of Ruffinos Restaurant in 2000. Perry was stationed in San Diego with the Marine Corps, playing four years for the base football team. BATON ROUGE Ruffin Rodrigue Jr., a gregarious and popular former LSU football player turned successful restaurateur, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack. He was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA, to Ruffin Adam Rodrigue,. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. After graduating from LSU in 1990, Ruffin played for the WLA until getting injured. BATON ROUGE, La. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. There were seven former Marines who played for BYU. He then opened Ruffino's On the River in Lafayette in 2013 at what was the location of Cochon restaurant. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Friends and peers recalled his larger than life personality and a strong voice for locally-owned restaurants. He was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA, to Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, Sr., and the late Cecile Marie Benoit Rodrigue. Rodrigue. The Marines landed in Provo, Utah, in 1965, though Rodrigue couldnt play until 1966 because he started a season at Southeastern Louisiana before joining the military. He was able to keep his staff on the company payroll through money generated through take-out orders. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. His restaurants remained open Wednesday to cater to patrons Thanksgiving needs and to Celebrate Life the way Ruffin would have wanted, the restaurant said in a statement Wednesday. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. He was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA, to Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, Sr., and the late. He was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA, to Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, Sr., and the late Cecile Marie Benoit Rodrigue. BATON ROUGE, La. BATON ROUGE Ruffin Rodrigue Jr., a gregarious and popular former LSU football player turned successful restaurateur, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack. He was named an All-SEC Lineman and helped push the team to SEC Championships in 86 and 88. You have permission to edit this article. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. The news broke on an SEC media call ahead of LSUs game this weekend. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Ruffin Adam Rodrigue I found on Findagrave.com. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He was a very up-front guy, and we decided to go.. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. Even as his family and community mourn his departure from this life, there is hope and comfort in the promise of eternal life. He was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA, to Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, Sr., and the late Cecile. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Ruffin's zest for life, sense of hospitality, love for his home state and loyalty to LSU are all unmatched. Ruffin Rodrigue. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Ruffin Rodrigue Jr., a former LSU football player who opened the Ruffino's restaurants in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, died unexpectedly from a heart attack Tuesday night. But his three years in Provo, beneath the Wasatch Mountains on the BYU campus, still produce fond memories. residents cited for shooting geese from moving, 30 Iberia Parish jail inmates baptized behind bars, UPDATE: 16-year-old arrested for murder in Lake Charles, UPDATE: Drug raid uncovers almost 3 lbs cocaine,. A system error has occurred. His goal was to develop a place where people could come to Celebrate Life, regardless of the occasion. Ruffin, a former football player at LSU, began his journey with Ruffino's in 1998 with an understanding that he wanted to create something special, and not just another restaurant, according to their website.The restaurant says it will remain open to helps guests with Thanksgiving needs.An information on services for Rodrigue will be announced at a later date. "I've heard so many stories about him," Clement said about Andolsek. Ruffin's happiest memories were made with the family he created with Alison, his wife of nearly fifteen years. This is a carousel with slides. Thanks for your help! The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Rodrigue owned Ruffino's restaurant in Baton Rouge and Ruffino's On the River in Lafayette. This account has been disabled. Ruffin will be remembered and celebrated for his big smile and even bigger heart, his larger-than-life presence, his charitable contributions to the community, his optimism, and his thoughtful words and gestures for occasions big and small. On the restaurants website, Rodrigue wrote a statement about his restaurants philosophy. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. I wouldnt know anybody there now.. Ruffin Adam Rodrigue was born on April 2, 1967 in Thibodaux, LA and passed away on November 25, 2020 and is under the care of Rabenhorst Funeral Home & Crematory. May the love of friends and family carry you through this difficult time. Oops, something didn't work. Friends said they were concerned about Rodrigue in recent weeks because he had not been taking care of himself. 5 Texas A&M (5-1) on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The players loved him. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. There was a second former Marine from Louisiana: Casey Boyett, a wingback from Jena who played from 1966-68 (a co-captain as a senior) and now lives in Hawaii. Ruffin could often be found entertaining guests with stories and table-side serenades. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Ruffin Rodrigue (219002985)? Due to pandemic restrictions, the funeral service for Rodrigue will be private. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Ruffins happiest memories were made with the family he created with Alison, his wife of nearly fifteen years. Near the end of his hitch, a BYU assistant named Chris Apostol came and convinced a group of Marines to play for the Cougars. Rodrigue owned Ruffino's restaurant in Baton Rouge and Ruffino's On the River in Lafayette. He was named an All-SEC Lineman and helped push the team to SEC Championships in 86 and 88. Rodrigue and former restaurant partner Peter Sclafani were named Louisiana Restaurant Association restaurateurs of the year in 2014. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. The owner and founder of Ruffino's Restaurant in Baton Rouge has died, the restaurant announced on Facebook.According to the post, Ruffin Rodrigue Jr. passed away unexpectedly Tuesday night. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. This philosophy, or way of thinking, can be traced back to Ruffins childhood when he often worked with his father preparing graves at the cemetery teaching him early on how important life is, and that each moment we have to celebrate with friends, family and loved ones is priceless. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Acadiana Boil Advisories and Water Shutdowns, Ella Goodies family now searching for another family, Carencro Fire Department responds to fire on Braquet, Jury convicts Louisiana man of trafficking fentanyl,, Ville Platte woman arrested for stealing thousands, Acadiana Kidcasters Apply for your child to do the weather on KLFY-TV, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Please try again later. As coronavirus restrictions ease up in Louisiana, consider supporting local restaurants, which have . He loved music, travel, good food, Louisiana, and of course the LSU Tigers. Published by Houma Today from Dec. 1 to Dec. 2, 2020. Even as his family and community mourn his departure from this life, there is hope and comfort in the promise of eternal life. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WDSU-TV. Receive a notification when services are updated. Funeral arrangements were pending. He was 53. According to the post, Ruffin Rodrigue Jr. passed away unexpectedly Tuesday night. Ruffino's will remain open today in order to help our guests Thanksgiving needs - continuing to Celebrate Life the way Ruffin would have wanted us too. I wouldnt recognize anyone. The Tigers are coming off a 15-0 national championship season in 2019 but saw a lot of departures via the NFL Draft and opt outs, including star wide receiver JaMarr Chase. Rodrigue played for LSU, like his father, from 1986-1989. Take comfort in knowing that they are with Jesus. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. The committal of ashes will take place in a private ceremony at St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux at a later date. The restaurant says it will remain open to helps guests with Thanksgiving needs. Try these Acadiana outdoor dining spots with a view, The Candy Man: Ruffin Rodrigue adds dazzle to takeout orders with music video, cotton candy, Rabalais: Ruffin Rodrigue will be missed at Saturday's LSU-Alabama game, but his spirit will be there, Ruffino's retains director of operations as company moves forward after owner's death. He was 53. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers. He is survived by his loving wife, Alison Seamster Rodrigue, and their two children, Ruffin Adam Rodrigue, III, and Margaret Anne Rodrigue; his father and brothers Gawain Thomas Rodrigue and Braden Paul Rodrigue; and many adoring relatives. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. He became LSU's starting left guard as a sophomore in 1987 and was a mainstay of the offensive line for three seasons. 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