Ralph A. Rudolf

Ralph A. Rudolf, 76, of St. Paul, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, at the Heritage Living Center in St. Paul. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer. The Rev. Robert G. Schilling will officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer. Memorial visitation will be held Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Rudolf was born on Oct. 4, 1933, on a farm near Palmer, the son of Albert Paul and Esther (Zlomke) Rudolf. He is survived by his wife, Lavonne Rudolf of St. Paul; one son, David Rudolf of St. Paul; two daughters and one son-in-law, Marcy Santin of Palmer and Judi and Pat Buhrman of Chandler, AZ; one sister, Aileen Rawlings of St. Paul; and one brother and two sisters-in-law, Gary and Sandra Rudolf of St. Charles, IA and Loretta Rudolf of Hastings. He also leaves to cherish his memory five grandchildren, Josh Rudolf of Reno, NV, Jesse Rudolf of St. Paul, Jami and Michael Kezeor of Omaha, Shannon and Michael Kushnick of Athens, OH and Drew and Jamiee Santin of Omaha; and two great-granddaughters, Lillian Grace Kushnick and Ella Leona Kushnick, both of Athens, OH. Ralph was baptized and confirmed at the Archer Evangelical Brethren Church. He attended schools at rural Merrick Co. Districts 44 and 58, and graduated from Palmer High School. He then farmed with his father and also worked at the Cornhusker Army Ammunitions Plant in Grand Island. He was united in marriage to Lavonne M. Meyer on Nov. 16, 1952, at Palmer. The couple lived in Palmer where he worked for S.A. Foster Lumber Co. until he started farming. The couple moved to a farm south of Palmer where they lived for 42 years. In 2000, the couple retired due to ill health and moved to St. Paul. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul and was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer. As a young man, he enjoyed sports, especially baseball and softball, and shooting pool. He very much enjoyed his children and grandchildren and their activities. He also loved traveling and visiting his family and the local coffee shops in Palmer and St. Paul. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son-in-law, Henry “Bud” Santin; an infant sister, Shirley Ann Rudolf; one brother, Wayne Rudolf; and one brother-in-law, Jack Rawlings. In lieu of flowers and plants, the family requests that memorials be given to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Christ Lutheran Church, Rose Hill Cemetery or to the family’s choice.