Edward Allyn Rudolph

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Edward Allyn Rudolph, 73, on November 23, 2024, after keeping aggressive cancer at bay for nearly a decade.  He passed away at his home, surrounded by the love of his beloved wife, Debra Polen-Rudolph, and his only daughter, Cathryn Anna Anderson.

The family will be arranging a private memorial service at a later date. Edward’s wishes were to be cremated.

Edward, who preferred in his later years to be called Rudy, was born on June 3, 1951, in Norfolk County, Virginia, in a military family.  He lived his life with the values of hard work, generosity, hope, not taking crap from people, and never giving up on love.  He was married several times, but most significantly to his wife “Debbie,” Debra Polen-Rudolph, from 2015 until the present, along with his former wife Janice Messer from 1986-2003, with whom he had his treasured daughter Cathryn Anna Rudolph, a.k.a. “Katie” or “KT.”

Rudy was a man of multitudes.  Rudy often said he would love to live to be 1,000 years old, so that he could accumulate as much knowledge as possible.  He loved life and had such an insatiable thirst for knowledge that even 1,000 years wouldn’t have been enough time to quench it.  During his life, he was a contractor, a painter, a drummer, a driver’s education instructor, a mercenary, a motorcycle enthusiast, a roofer, a race car driver, a teacher, a scuba diver, an oil field worker, a writer, a newspaper columnist, a city councilman, a storyteller, a friend to animals, a wonderful father, and a loving husband.  He lived in Indiana, California, Florida, Michigan, Louisiana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, among other places.  He traveled the world in his youth, and lived a full life of adventure, filled with his uncompromising wit, generosity, and endless search for love and stability.  In the end, he found peace with his beloved wife Debbie, their pets, and their beautiful, historic home in Conde, South Dakota.

Rudy is survived by his wife Debbie; his daughter Katie, her mother Janice, and son-in-law Colin; his stepdaughter Amanda and stepson-in-law Caleb along with their children Caleb, Jr. and Hailee; his stepson Joshua and his children Aaliyah and Jaxon; along with the family dog Molly, the family cat Milo; and his wonderful friends and neighbors in Conde.  He will truly be missed by all of those who knew and loved him.