Named for his two grandfathers, David White Ruffin and John Alexander Faison, "David Alex" was a son of Jules and Sallie Faison Ruffin. He received his undergraduate degree in English at Southwestern in Memphis, Tennessee (now Rhodes University). He served in the U.S.Army during World War II, and then returned to Tennessee for graduate studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Armed with a Ph.D. In English Literature, he would eventually receive a professorship in English at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia where he taught for more than twenty years. In 1973, he was voted "Professor of the Year" by students of the school, and following his retirement in 1982, was made Professor Emeritus of English. He was talented as a musician, artist, and sculptor. He was also an avid amateur genealogist, especially of the Ruffin Family whose immigrant ancestor was William Ruffin who came to the Colony of Virginia in 1635. He took several summers to tour areas where the earliest Ruffins lived, both in Virginia and Scotland. It was Dr. Ruffin's firm belief that his Ruffin family were descended from the ancient Ruthven Clan of Scotland. Whatever the truth might be regarding a connection to the Ruthven Clan, Dr. Ruffin's meticulous research into several branches connected with the Ruffin Family in America places him among the most learned researchers of his day. His genealogical research consisting of several filing cabinet drawers full of notes and documentation was donated to the Regional Library in Statesboro following his death and is located among their genealogical holdings. David married Meralen Reed in 1968. The couple had no children. Following his death the Meralen and David Ruffin Scholarship was established at Georgia Southern University in 1997. This scholarship, in the amount of $1500 annually, is offered to those in Georgia Southern's Honors Program who are majoring in either English, Philosophy, History, or Foreign Language. Dr. Ruffin was also devoted to helping recovering alcoholics. He helped organize the Bridges of Hope facility in Argyle, Georgia. Dr. Ruffin died six years after his wife passed away, of cancer.