Nedra Ruffin, daughter of the late R&B singer and Meridian native David Ruffin of the Temptations, was described as loving, kind, sweet individual with a heart of gold.

Ruffin, 58, died May 19 at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak as a result of complications from COVID-19.

The Detroit resident attended Mumford High School in Detroit, and her career included modeling and bartending. She also did direct care work with hospice patients and taught ballroom dancing and hustle classes.

“She loved to dance,” said her daughter Terea Frazier.

Frazier, who was an infant when David Ruffin died, recalls her mother sharing stories of going to concerts, spending time in the studio with her father and riding in his convertible Corvette.

“She did a lot with him,” she said.

“We were always known as twins coming up,” said her sister Cheryl Ruffin, who’s close in age to Nedra Ruffin. “I’m going to miss her loving, giving ways. She gave so much of herself to others. And I’m going to miss our get-togethers.”

Lamont Robinson, founder and CEO of the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and brother-in-law to Ruffin, said Nedra Ruffin was instrumental in getting the renaming of Parkside Street in Detroit to David Ruffin Avenue in June 2019.

A street in Meridian was also renamed David Ruffin Boulevard in October 2019.

Known as NeNe and Special, Ruffin enjoyed traveling and spending time with her grandchildren.

Nedra Ruffin with her children and mother. From left: Terea, mother Sandra Ruffin, Clifford, Nedra and DeAiress.

She was active in assisting Narcotics Anonymous and was proud of being clean from drugs for 28 years, according to Frazier.

Ruffin, who had dealt with various ailments in recent years, began feeling ill after returning home from a recent trip to Las Vegas.

She was having trouble breathing, confused, and fatigued, and was admitted to the hospital the day after Mother’s Day.

Soon after that, she was in intensive care and put on a ventilator, according to her sister Cheryl, who said, “She never came off.”

Ruffin is survived by her mother, Sandra Ruffin; son Clifford Pearson and daughters, Terea Frazier and DeAiress Frazier; six grandchildren; sisters Cheryl Ruffin–Robinson (Lamont), Kimberly Mone’ Ruffin Jones; and a brother, David Ruffin, Jr..