Send Flowers

Life story

" Ruth Ann Burgun (1958–2026)

Fredericksburg, VA – Ruth Ann Burgun, a gifted athlete, skilled paralegal, and steadfast friend, passed away on April 14, 2026, following a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was 68 years old.

Born in Pennsylvania to Joe and Ruth Burgun, Ruth Ann grew up in Jeannette. As a Jeannette High School Jayhawk, she was a standout on the basketball court, leading the team in rebounding. Her talent earned her an athletic scholarship to Old Dominion University in 1975, where she began her collegiate journey as a Lady Monarch. Her basketball career continued with the South Carolina Lady Gamecocks and finally at Florida State University, where she graduated with a degree in Business in the early 1980s.

Ruth Ann’s professional life took her across the East Coast and into the heart of Texas. After beginning her career in Atlanta, she eventually moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she worked as a Property Manager. A woman of constant growth, she later moved to Fairfax, VA, where she attended George Mason University part-time to become a paralegal. She dedicated many years to working in Child Support Enforcement for both the states of North Carolina and Virginia until her retirement in 2023.

In her later years, Ruth Ann found her "North Star" on the golf course. Whether she was living in Abilene, Texas, or the Carolinas, she was an avid golfer who spent every possible moment on the links. Though her retirement plans to spend her days on the greens were interrupted by her diagnosis, her passion for the game and her competitive spirit remained a central part of her life.
Ruth Ann was a woman of deep, enduring loyalties. She was a devoted companion to her many beloved cats over the years—Tawny, Tasha, Powder, Kate, and most recently, Eddie. Most notably, her life was marked by a unique and unbreakable bond with her longtime friend and companion, Stuart White. Through every season of life and various moves across the country, they remained each other's "person," eventually settling in Fredericksburg to support one another through their golden years.

She is survived by her brother, Robert J. Burgun; several cousins; her best friend, Stuart White; and her faithful cat, Eddie. She was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ruth Ann’s memory to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, honoring her lifelong love of sports and the fight for a cure.

No funeral arrangements have been made at this time. Her friends and family will remember her as she was: a fierce competitor, a resilient survivor, and a loyal friend who always kept her eye on the long game.
"