Carolyn Faye Rueff

“Did you ever know that you’re my hero, and everything I would like to be I could fly higher than an eagle, ‘cause you are the wind beneath my wings.” Carolyn Faye Rueff was a hero to so many; husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and friends. To know her was to love her and to truly experience love. Born February 24, 1940, Carolyn Faye Gates was one of the youngest of twelve siblings. She was very proud of her big, loving family. She was a native of Pensacola and grew up in Ferry Pass. Faye was known for her quick wit, her cooking abilities, giving and generous nature, and her fierce love of family. For most of her life she was known as the adventurous “Faye Baby”, but from the day she became a grandmother Faye was forever known as the lovable Dammie to all her precious angels. Faye was granted her angel wings on June 15, 2019. She passed quietly at her home surrounded by family. Faye is survived by her soulmate and love of her life, James Rueff, Jr., her three children, Frank Patti, Jr. (Gretchen), Mary Ann Patti Guthrie (Keith), and Linda Patti Graber (Michael) and her step children, James Rueff, III (Danette), Cindy Rueff, and Stephen Rueff (Julie) and her grandchildren, Juliana Lemon (Matt), Katie Lacour (Jeff), Mandy Patti Johnson (DJ), Frank Patti, III, Michael Patti (Shaina), Abby Guthrie, Rachael Guthrie, Carter Scarritt, Anna Scarritt, Jordan Rueff (Jennifer), Sarah Rueff, James Rueff, Stephen Rueff, Heather Rueff, Victoria Rueff, Kyrie Boyle, Geoffrey Rueff, George Rueff, and many great grandchildren, and along with her siblings Sylvia Enfinger, Dixie Welch, Bud Gates (Priscilla), and Patsy Kuhar, and her many nieces and nephews. Faye is preceded in death by her parents, Bud and Maime Gates; siblings, Helen Morris, Sue Nelson, Virgie Roselli, Iona Quatrone, Katie Bohanick, Jean Ayers, Ronnie Gates, and her step son, Robert Rueff. For Faye, family was everything. She never met anyone who didn’t immediately become part of her extended family. Her mission was to make sure her family was loved. Faye made an impact with all of her actions, from baking birthday cakes, her homemade birthday cards, her annual Christmas slumber parties, Thursday night dinner and a movie with her grandchildren, the lullabies she sang, blueberry picking with family and her notorious obsession with picture taking at every event. Faye continued to share a special bond with her first husband, Frank and his siblings: Maria, Josie, Sammy, Joey, and Gerard, her nieces, and nephews, and the rest of the Patti family. Visitation will be on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South, 100 Beverly Pkwy. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. followed by the burial at Whitmire Cemetery. After the burial, family and friends are invited to gather at the Pensacola Yacht Club at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate Faye’s extraordinary life. You may express your condolences online at www.fcfhs.com

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Carolyn Faye Rueff

February 24, 1940 - June 15, 2019