Minister Thelma Lee Ruffin was born to the late Lucille and George Robinson, January 23, 1929, in Seaview, VA. She went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, January 2,2013 at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, Nassawadox, VA. She was educated in the Northampton Publis Schools and in 1946 was married to floyd Ruffin, Sr. She was a long time employee of Kane and Miller, Nottingham Estates, Perdue and later Dr. Shirley Randall and family.

Minister Ruffin accepted Christ at the early age of 13 in 1942 under the leadership of the late Bishop Estella D. Smith, Mount Sinai Gospel Tabernacle. She was the first child to be saved in Mount Sinai Gospel Tabernacle in the home of Mother Comfort Robinson. Anointed to preach the gospel, her mother, Lucille, sent her to live with Bishop Smith for awhile. Minister Ruffin was a long time meber of Mount Sinai Gospel Tabernacle, wherein addition to being an anointed preacher, she was an anointed altar worker, Choir Member, Outreach Minister and Prayer Warrior. She later felt God called her to expanded work and she became a ember in her son's ministry, the late Pastor Anthony Ruffin, where she served as Mother of the Church, Minister,Preacher, prayer Warrior and Cook at New Jerusalem Church.