TX - 'Lori Ruff', Longview, WhtFem UP9863, *General Discussion and Theories* #1

[Owutatangledweb]

61 inches = 5'1

If it was a typo and should have been 71 inches then we are real close on a resemblance.

 

[mimilisa123]

Hello to everyone here on this thread for Lori Ruff. I am new to Websleuths, so please have patience with me while I learn the rules and how to navigate around here. I have been reading all the posts here and am so fascinated. I first learned of her story when I was working in Leonard, Tx as a nurse at the local nursing home. It made the front page, (the paper is only about 4 pages!)...I knew that the Ruff's lived just outside of town...my mom and all her family were all born and raised in this area...Leonard is very small along with Celeste and Greenville, Merit, etc...Mom knew a lot of the Ruff's before they moved to the Longview area. Blake and Lori, when they married, moved onto the small ranch outside of Leonard. I actually met Lori at the Kwik Check Gas Station there in Leonard, I saw her there many times...Like I said, the town is very small, and everyone goes there to sit and sip coffee and shoot the breeze...She seemed like a very nice person...I never would have dreamed that she had a secret...I plan on more research so if any of you have any questions to ask me, please feel free to do so...I Don't work there anymore, but like I said, I have a lot of family still there and I go visit my them and many friends often. I am about 20 minutes away..I am excited about joining Websleuths!

 

[CherBearSTL]

Hello to everyone here on this thread for Lori Ruff. I am new to Websleuths, so please have patience with me while I learn the rules and how to navigate around here. I have been reading all the posts here and am so fascinated. I first learned of her story when I was working in Leonard, Tx as a nurse at the local nursing home. It made the front page, (the paper is only about 4 pages!)...I knew that the Ruff's lived just outside of town...my mom and all her family were all born and raised in this area...Leonard is very small along with Celeste and Greenville, Merit, etc...Mom knew a lot of the Ruff's before they moved to the Longview area. Blake and Lori, when they married, moved onto the small ranch outside of Leonard. I actually met Lori at the Kwik Check Gas Station there in Leonard, I saw her there many times...Like I said, the town is very small, and everyone goes there to sit and sip coffee and shoot the breeze...She seemed like a very nice person...I never would have dreamed that she had a secret...I plan on more research so if any of you have any questions to ask me, please feel free to do so...I Don't work there anymore, but like I said, I have a lot of family still there and I go visit my them and many friends often. I am about 20 minutes away..I am excited about joining Websleuths!

Welcome!!! I have a question...Did you notice that Lori had any type of accent?

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[mimilisa123]

Welcome!!! I have a question...Did you notice that Lori had any type of accent?

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

I have a Texas accent so I notice when someone doesn't. She was more Colorado like my cousins, or even Utah, or Idaho. Not Arizona or New Mexico, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, or from the North Eastern US..I have many friends and family all over the US and when I meet someone, I try to mentally figure out where they are from by their voice. I am 5'5 and she was probably 5'9 or 5'10. Taller than me and larger boned. Not overweight, just solid. I do so many body assessments as a nurse people probably wonder why I look at them funny sometimes. All in my nursing job! lol...I am going to Leonard after this winter ice storm passes so I will see what else I can dig up. Hope this helps.

 

[mimilisa123]

Oh, and I will check the county clerks office in Fannin County on the property Blake's family owned. I don't know if anyone else has done that.

 

[mimilisa123]

Another thing I have noticed that fascinates me is that all the news articles state that the Ruff's are from the Longview area. This is so not true. Yes, they got into the oil boom and migrated that way, but they had humble roots and they are from the Leonard, Tx, Fannin County/Hunt County area. My great Aunt who is 88 even remembers them. You have to realize how small this area is. Everyone knows everyone. The Ruff's got kinda snooty my Great Aunt said after they got some money.I have my own theories on Blake and Lori and Blake's mother. I hesitate to write this here...let me know if it is ok to do so please.

 

[SideKick]

Another thing I have noticed that fascinates me is that all the news articles state that the Ruff's are from the Longview area. This is so not true. Yes, they got into the oil boom and migrated that way, but they had humble roots and they are from the Leonard, Tx, Fannin County/Hunt County area. My great Aunt who is 88 even remembers them. You have to realize how small this area is. Everyone knows everyone. The Ruff's got kinda snooty my Great Aunt said after they got some money.I have my own theories on Blake and Lori and Blake's mother. I hesitate to write this here...let me know if it is ok to do so please.

Welcome mimilisa!
Yes, we are all very fascinated by Lori. Such a sad case, we hope to learn more about her and help find out who she is. She left behind a sweet little daughter.
I am not a mod, but as far as I know, feel free to write about what you think so we in turn can assist and help solve this. Such a mystery!
:seeya:

 

[mimilisa123]

Welcome mimilisa!
Yes, we are all very fascinated by Lori. Such a sad case, we hope to learn more about her and help find out who she is. She left behind a sweet little daughter.
I am not a mod, but as far as I know, feel free to write about what you think so we in turn can assist and help solve this. Such a mystery!
:seeya:

Yes, it is very sad...I also was wondering if anyone had contacted the Texas Business Women Women of Bonham and Fannin County? I go to Bonham frequently so I could check on this and see what anyone remembers of Lori as well.. I mean. she is listed as having served as a secretary for the club. And the club is really small...someone may remember other details of her.... oh, and I did notice that her hands were larger with longer fingers:seeya: as reported...just something again that I would notice being a nurse...my first thought was Marfans or some form of agromegaly...:seeya:

 

[Sherwood Park]

Yes, it is very sad...I also was wondering if anyone had contacted the Texas Business Women Women of Bonham and Fannin County? I go to Bonham frequently so I could check on this and see what anyone remembers of Lori as well.. I mean. she is listed as having served as a secretary for the club. And the club is really small...someone may remember other details of her.... oh, and I did notice that her hands were larger with longer fingers:seeya: as reported...just something again that I would notice being a nurse...my first thought was Marfans or some form of agromegaly...:seeya:

I don't recall reading any posted comments about anyone having actually contacted and/or received information from members of the Texas Business Women. That would make sense to find out if they remember anything about her or about anything she said that might give a clue as to some part of her true identity.

 

[jennyk1]

I'm from the Longview area, and from what I read in the original Seattle Times article, just want to comment on one thing. Blake Ruff's mother. Based on the article, she sounds like many, many other women I've known there. It sounds like Blake was coddled and manipulated by a family (most likely his mother) that just flat-out didn't "like" Lori. And perhaps Lori gave them reason to feel that way. Lori choosing to kill herself in their driveways says a lot. She must have hated them.

Blake doesn't look all "there" in his pictures and he doesn't sound like it from his brother in law's description, either. Lori must've felt safe knowing she could try to build a life with him and he wouldn't be overbearing or pry into her past. Whatever issues she had came to the surface, most likely brought on by her age and hormones and postpartum depression, and she was unable to be honest about any of it because of her true identity. Now imagine having an overbearing, prying, domineering mother in law who is able to convince her son to choose her over YOU. That had to suck. Lori must have felt like Blake was all she had in the world.

 

[Sherwood Park]

I'm from the Longview area, and from what I read in the original Seattle Times article, just want to comment on one thing. Blake Ruff's mother. Based on the article, she sounds like many, many other women I've known there. It sounds like Blake was coddled and manipulated by a family (most likely his mother) that just flat-out didn't "like" Lori. And perhaps Lori gave them reason to feel that way. Lori choosing to kill herself in their driveways says a lot. She must have hated them.

Blake doesn't look all "there" in his pictures and he doesn't sound like it from his brother in law's description, either. Lori must've felt safe knowing she could try to build a life with him and he wouldn't be overbearing or pry into her past. Whatever issues she had came to the surface, most likely brought on by her age and hormones and postpartum depression, and she was unable to be honest about any of it because of her true identity. Now imagine having an overbearing, prying, domineering mother in law who is able to convince her son to choose her over YOU. That had to suck. Lori must have felt like Blake was all she had in the world.

I think Blake was the only one she had in the world. After her death I still haven't read a single quote or condolence from anyone who has said they were friends with her (Lori). It must have been torture to live that way. Even if she hadn't taken her life, things would have gotten worse. Children turn a certain age and then they start asking questions (Mom, where were you born?; Mom where did you go to school?; Mom, what was your mom's name, where is Grandma and Grandpa? etc.). She created a lie that was becoming more difficult to maintain and coupled with mental instability, it might have eventually become impossible.

 

[masootz]

I think Blake was the only one she had in the world. After her death I still haven't read a single quote or condolence from anyone who has said they were friends with her (Lori). It must have been torture to live that way. Even if she hadn't taken her life, things would have gotten worse. Children turn a certain age and then they start asking questions (Mom, where were you born?; Mom where did you go to school?; Mom, what was your mom's name, where is Grandma and Grandpa? etc.). She created a lie that was becoming more difficult to maintain and coupled with mental instability, it might have eventually become impossible.

i just wanted to say i think you're absolutely correct. while it is obvious why we'd want to find out her true identity, at the end of the day i think her reasons for starting over are likely to be a lot less scandalous than it might seem. i agree that the weight of the lie she built likely became too much for her to handle. we may never know whether that was the cause of her mental instability or whether the mental instability just made things worse, but she does have a child out there who will one day want to know who her mother was.

 

[Marg from Oz]

Fascinating story. I thought with your social security number you could be traced. Obviously I .was wrong. It seems if you want to disappear America you can with no hindrance.

 

[masootz]

Fascinating story. I thought with your social security number you could be traced. Obviously I .was wrong. It seems if you want to disappear America you can with no hindrance.

ssn can be traced but flek's ssn was that of a young girl who passed away years earlier. in other words we don't have her true ssn.

 

[Chuz Life]

Can anyone help me find a clear image of 'Lori's' right (preferred) or left side profile? I have a possible match that I would like to either pursue further or exclude.

Please help!

 

[Magnum P.E.]

Fascinating story. I thought with your social security number you could be traced. Obviously I .was wrong. It seems if you want to disappear America you can with no hindrance.

It was much easier when FLEK did it. Many loopholes have been closed, today the old Paper Chase method would not hold up to close scrutiny, particularly because people now get their social security number shortly after birth rather than when they enter the workforce.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the only American who actually likes Marmite

 

[ClaireNC]

Hello to everyone here on this thread for Lori Ruff. I am new to Websleuths, so please have patience with me while I learn the rules and how to navigate around here. I have been reading all the posts here and am so fascinated. I first learned of her story when I was working in Leonard, Tx as a nurse at the local nursing home. It made the front page, (the paper is only about 4 pages!)...I knew that the Ruff's lived just outside of town...my mom and all her family were all born and raised in this area...Leonard is very small along with Celeste and Greenville, Merit, etc...Mom knew a lot of the Ruff's before they moved to the Longview area. Blake and Lori, when they married, moved onto the small ranch outside of Leonard. I actually met Lori at the Kwik Check Gas Station there in Leonard, I saw her there many times...Like I said, the town is very small, and everyone goes there to sit and sip coffee and shoot the breeze...She seemed like a very nice person...I never would have dreamed that she had a secret...I plan on more research so if any of you have any questions to ask me, please feel free to do so...I Don't work there anymore, but like I said, I have a lot of family still there and I go visit my them and many friends often. I am about 20 minutes away..I am excited about joining Websleuths!

Hi mimilisa123! So glad you joined us! I've been following this case very closely from the beginning. We have been hoping that some local people would come join the discussion.

I'd love to get the news to pick up on the story again. Now that the anniversary of her death is coming up, might be a good time.

 

[ClaireNC]

Yes, it is very sad...I also was wondering if anyone had contacted the Texas Business Women Women of Bonham and Fannin County? I go to Bonham frequently so I could check on this and see what anyone remembers of Lori as well.. I mean. she is listed as having served as a secretary for the club. And the club is really small...someone may remember other details of her.... oh, and I did notice that her hands were larger with longer fingers:seeya: as reported...just something again that I would notice being a nurse...my first thought was Marfans or some form of agromegaly...:seeya:

I am pretty sure that nobody here has reached out to the Texas Business Women group. It would be great if you could!!

Here are links to articles about when she attended the meetings. The pictures give names of individuals she served on the board with.

May 2010 – Attended Texas Business Women Region 7 Conference Spring Awards banquet. http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=39&num=62028&printer=1
May 2010 – Attended meeting of Texas Business Woman of Bonham and Fannin Counties http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=38&num=62394
June 2010 – Attended meeting of Texas Business Woman of Bonham and Fannin Counties http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=39&num=62769
August 2010 – Attended meeting of Texas Business Woman of Bonham and Fannin Counties http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=40&num=63743&printer=1
October 2010 – Attended Forum held by the Texas Business Woman (Lori pictured in next to last picture.) http://www.ntxe-news.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=41&num=65181

 

[ClaireNC]

I'm from the Longview area, and from what I read in the original Seattle Times article, just want to comment on one thing. Blake Ruff's mother. Based on the article, she sounds like many, many other women I've known there. It sounds like Blake was coddled and manipulated by a family (most likely his mother) that just flat-out didn't "like" Lori. And perhaps Lori gave them reason to feel that way. Lori choosing to kill herself in their driveways says a lot. She must have hated them.

Blake doesn't look all "there" in his pictures and he doesn't sound like it from his brother in law's description, either. Lori must've felt safe knowing she could try to build a life with him and he wouldn't be overbearing or pry into her past. Whatever issues she had came to the surface, most likely brought on by her age and hormones and postpartum depression, and she was unable to be honest about any of it because of her true identity. Now imagine having an overbearing, prying, domineering mother in law who is able to convince her son to choose her over YOU. That had to suck. Lori must have felt like Blake was all she had in the world.

Welcome jennyk1! So glad you decided to join the discussion. I agree with your observations about the dynamics of Blake and Lori's relationship.

 

[ClaireNC]

Can anyone help me find a clear image of 'Lori's' right (preferred) or left side profile? I have a possible match that I would like to either pursue further or exclude.

Please help!

I believe all of the photo's we have of Lori are in the Seattle Times article. I haven't seen a profile picture.

Here is the link to the photos in the article: http://seattletimes.com/html/localpages/2021243300_janedoeevidence.html