Jon Douglas Ruffatto

Captain Jon Douglas Ruffatto, 65, passed away peacefully in his home on April 9, 2016. Jon was born Nov. 15, 1950 In Oakland, CA. His parents were Peter and Jeanne Ruffatto. Jon attended St. Mary’s High School, and after graduation attended college at Berkley. He then attended Kingspoint Maritime Academy in New York for 4 years and graduated at the top of his class in 1973. In September, 1974, Jon married Sue Schaeffer and they had two sons. They moved to Sandpoint in 1983 and were later divorced. For a short while Jon owned a computer store at the Mall in Sandpoint; but basically he made his living in the container shipping industry. He worked for APL Maritime, as a ship’s Captain, for many years and retired from there in Jan. 2016. His last job was Master (Captain) of the APL Coral. Jon married Joyce Marcum, in Sandpoint, on Oct. 5, 1995. The two lived quietly in their Sandpoint rural home for 21 years. Jon loved his family, and was a proud grandfather. He was a kind, generous man and had many friends. He liked gardening, music, and was an avid reader. He enjoyed spending time at his second home in Hot Springs, Montana and spending time with his friends at the Hide Away Pub at the Mall in Sandpoint. Jon was a proud, long-standing, union member of the International Order of Masters, Mates and Pilots (IOMM&P), and in December, 2015 he became a member of The Council of American Master Mariners, Inc. Jon was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Jeanne Ruffatto. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Ruffatto (Sandpoint), his three sons, Dave Brandi) Ruffatto (Sandpoint), Dan Ruffatto (Des Moines, WA), Scott Gammon (Sandpoint), and his three granddaughters, Veda Ruffatto (Sandpoint), Hayley Gammon (Sandpoint) Lily Gammon (Sandpoint), and two cousins, Jeanne Kiloh (Fullerton, CA), and Walter Kreutzen (Irvine, CA). We all loved this man and he will be missed more than he could have ever known. Funeral services will be held in the Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel, on Pine St., at 11:00, Friday, April 15 (Pastor Fred Page will preside), Following the service there will be a burial service at the Pack River Cemetery on Colburn Culver Road.