Sarah Lynn Ruffi

A personal letter from Sarah Ruffi’s husband, Dwight:

I guess you could call this a love letter—because that’s really what it is. A love letter to my wife, Sarah, the life we built together and the most difficult eight months our family faced. In July, we learned that Sarah had stage 4 glioblastoma. The surgeon said matter-of-factly that she had six months to live. We said, “Unacceptable!” From that moment, nothing else mattered except Sarah, loving her fiercely while finding hope to beat the monster living in her head. It was all hands-on deck!

Our four boys, Sarah lovingly called, “the men”, without hesitation became part of her care team. Tony, Mac, Nic, and Joey, along with their girlfriends brought joy and laughter into even the hardest days. They also ran errands and took on some of the toughest jobs caring for their mom—while still maintaining their own businesses.

Along the way, many people facing brain cancer reached out to us about the protocols we were using to help shrink the tumor. Sarah used her Woman Warrior Lawyer Facebook page to share and answer questions, offer hope, and thank everyone for their prayers. Her faith never wavered. She always said, “God is great all the time.”

Wausau Mayor Doug Diny gave Sarah one of the best days during her struggle. He honored Sarah by making her 58th birthday, March 31st, Sarah Ruffi Day, for all her work helping many local organizations and other volunteer work in the community. The City Hall room was packed, and she couldn’t believe all the community support. Sarah always said, “We’re put on this earth to help others.”

In Sarah’s last couple days, she slept with the sound of our kids, family and friends around her bed. We read some of over a hundred birthday cards sent during Sarah’s birthday month. The cards came from people across the country and the world—including our 37 foreign exchange students from countries including: Russia, Jordon, Denmark, and Brazil. Stories about Sarah filled the room. There was joy—because Sarah was all about living life to the fullest!

Now the memories flood my mind. I met Sarah at a volleyball game, and we hit it off right away. On June 24, 2000, we were married. At the time, I had a construction business, and she was a new attorney. When our first born came along--daycare wasn’t for us, and I stayed home to raise the boys while my wife built her law practice. Sarah always had my back and didn’t miss a beat being my wife and the boys’ mom!

Once, in a deposition, a lawyer asked Sarah who she was. She answered, “I’m a daughter, a lover, a mother, a wife, who just happens to be a lawyer.” That was Sarah, fierce and compassionate. She gave her clients personal care and was tough in the courtroom—but her priority was always her family.

Summers I’d take the boys to our little Northwoods cottage in Gile, Wisconsin, population 249, who are the most beautiful people in the world. Sarah juggled work to make sure she had three days with us on the weekends. Gile is our peaceful place, and it’s where we’ll always feel closest to Sarah.

I always teased Sarah that I was one of the original Bee Gees. Their song, “To Love Somebody” says what I’m feeling these days:

“I want my life to be lived with you.

Lived with you.

There’s a way everybody say

To do each and every little thing.

But what does it bring

If I ain’t got you, ain’t got you?”

Please join our family to celebrate Sarah’s life April 20th, 2026, along with Sarah’s parents Theodore and Cecelia Rudolph, brother Joseph (Jennifer Rudolph), sister Jenny Kelly (Paul Kelly), friends and many others who loved Sarah. Visitation will be held from 3:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Monday, April 20, at The Living Well Faith Community Church, 1707 McIntosh St. Wausau. A memorial service will take place at 7:00 P.M. The service will also be livestreamed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to her family.

Sarah gave us a lifetime of love in the years we had. And that love will carry us forward—always.

"Like, click and subscribe" - Sarah

Ascend Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Weston is assisting her family with arrangements. Condolences may be shared at ascendweston.org.