Rocky Mount –

Jesse Del Ruiter, age 42, passed away peacefully Monday, February 9, 2026. He was born on April 19, 1983 in Warren, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Floyd and Frances Holmes; paternal grandparents, Jonathan and Carol Ruiter; step-father, Gordon Freeman; aunt, Faye Mainhart and cousin, Jessica DeFries.

He is survived by his mother, Trudy Holmes Freeman of Rocky Mount; father, Del Ruiter (Linda) of McDonald, OH; daughter, Marlee Ruiter of Courtland, OH; sister, Charity Ruiter (Anthony Jones) of Rocky Mount; niece, Bella Davis of Red Oak; uncles, Rev. John Holmes (Merri) of Winston Salem and David Ruiter of Warren, OH; aunts, Grace Bishop of Manteo, Martha Schneider of Columbia, SC and Joy Holman (Rev. Matt) of Cincinnati, OH and great-aunt, Sandra Cutts.

Jesse will also be missed by his first cousins, Renee Sharpe, Bud Bishop (Charley), Stephanie Cunningham (Eric), Grace Silos (Aaron), Angel Mahr (Jason), Jake Holman (Ashley), Megan Mattinson (Eric), Heidi Seawell (Nathan), Kelsey Gee (Steve), Katie Graham (Caleb) and Stacey Potts; along with a host of other extended relatives.

A service will be held at 3:00pm on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at People's Fellowship Baptist Church, 11972 NC 97, Rocky Mount, NC 27803. Interment will follow at Battleboro Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to People's Fellowship Baptist Church, 11972 NC 97, Rocky Mount, NC 27803.