MOUNT VERNON — Walter M. Rudin passed away at the Ohio Eastern Star Home, Mount Vernon, on June 4, 2005.
He has left a legacy of love, community involvement, and good will. Born Oct. 18, 1913, to John and Grace (Dann) Rudin, he was a graduate of The Ohio State University, College of Commerce. A loyal Buckeye, he was senior manager of the Ohio State Varsity Football team in 1934. He continued his support of OSU by participation as member of the Ohio State Varsity "O Association," life member of the Ohio State Alumni Club, President's Club and the Pace Setters Club. He was a recipient of the Ohio State Alumni Centennial Award, served on the advisory board of the College of Administrative Science and Pace Setters Board, and was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
A model of "the greatest generation," he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Jacob Jones [DE-130] in the Atlantic, European and Pacific theaters during World War II with an honorable discharge as a lieutenant, USNR. As a young man, he made his own way but returned to the community he loved, which he supported through his many activities and generous philanthropy.
He met and married the love of his life, Jane Stephenson, who was his best friend and lifetime companion. Jane was the perfect mate for "her Walter." He was retired president of The Rudin Company Department Store; and served as president and/or chairman of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Mount Vernon, the Retail Merchants Association, Mount Vernon Country Club, The Old Homestead Club, Civic Improvement Association, Downtown Revitalization Committee and United Way of Knox County. In addition he was member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College Advisory Group and the Heritage Row Restoration Partners in downtown Mount Vernon and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
He has served as a trustee and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon and was a member of the Dan C. Stone Jr. Post of the American Legion, Aladdin Shrine and held a 32nd Degree in the Masonic Lodge. He was also past director of the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Mount Vernon. He is the namesake of the Walter Rudin Award, given by the Mount Vernon Heritage Centre Association to community members who give time and talent to downtown revitalization. In January 2005 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, an award that he fully appreciated because as he said in his own words "the community has been my life." The Mount Vernon Rotary 100th Year Service Project is the Rotary Centennial Playground (at Riverside Park ) dedicated to Walter and Dr. George Deeley, friends and longtime members of the Mount Vernon Rotary Club. Though humble in nature, he honored his heritage and was a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jane (Stephenson) Rudin; sister, Margaret (James) Beam; brother, John W. Rudin Jr.; and parents, John and Grace Rudin.
He is survived by a son, Walter M. (Sharmon) Rudin Jr. of Upper Arlington; and daughter, Patti (Thomas) Albaugh of Mount Vernon; three grandchildren, Kathryn (Thomas) Cummiskey of Granville, Ohio, Amy Baker of Chicago, Ill., and Justin Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla; two great-grandchildren, John and Emma Cummiskey; and many dear friends who blessed his life with love and laughter.
He has left a legacy of love, community involvement, and good will. Born Oct. 18, 1913, to John and Grace (Dann) Rudin, he was a graduate of The Ohio State University, College of Commerce. A loyal Buckeye, he was senior manager of the Ohio State Varsity Football team in 1934. He continued his support of OSU by participation as member of the Ohio State Varsity "O Association," life member of the Ohio State Alumni Club, President's Club and the Pace Setters Club. He was a recipient of the Ohio State Alumni Centennial Award, served on the advisory board of the College of Administrative Science and Pace Setters Board, and was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
A model of "the greatest generation," he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Jacob Jones [DE-130] in the Atlantic, European and Pacific theaters during World War II with an honorable discharge as a lieutenant, USNR. As a young man, he made his own way but returned to the community he loved, which he supported through his many activities and generous philanthropy.
He met and married the love of his life, Jane Stephenson, who was his best friend and lifetime companion. Jane was the perfect mate for "her Walter." He was retired president of The Rudin Company Department Store; and served as president and/or chairman of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Mount Vernon, the Retail Merchants Association, Mount Vernon Country Club, The Old Homestead Club, Civic Improvement Association, Downtown Revitalization Committee and United Way of Knox County. In addition he was member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College Advisory Group and the Heritage Row Restoration Partners in downtown Mount Vernon and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
He has served as a trustee and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon and was a member of the Dan C. Stone Jr. Post of the American Legion, Aladdin Shrine and held a 32nd Degree in the Masonic Lodge. He was also past director of the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Mount Vernon. He is the namesake of the Walter Rudin Award, given by the Mount Vernon Heritage Centre Association to community members who give time and talent to downtown revitalization. In January 2005 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, an award that he fully appreciated because as he said in his own words "the community has been my life." The Mount Vernon Rotary 100th Year Service Project is the Rotary Centennial Playground (at Riverside Park ) dedicated to Walter and Dr. George Deeley, friends and longtime members of the Mount Vernon Rotary Club. Though humble in nature, he honored his heritage and was a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jane (Stephenson) Rudin; sister, Margaret (James) Beam; brother, John W. Rudin Jr.; and parents, John and Grace Rudin.
He is survived by a son, Walter M. (Sharmon) Rudin Jr. of Upper Arlington; and daughter, Patti (Thomas) Albaugh of Mount Vernon; three grandchildren, Kathryn (Thomas) Cummiskey of Granville, Ohio, Amy Baker of Chicago, Ill., and Justin Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla; two great-grandchildren, John and Emma Cummiskey; and many dear friends who blessed his life with love and laughter.
MOUNT VERNON — Walter M. Rudin passed away at the Ohio Eastern Star Home, Mount Vernon, on June 4, 2005.
He has left a legacy of love, community involvement, and good will. Born Oct. 18, 1913, to John and Grace (Dann) Rudin, he was a graduate of The Ohio State University, College of Commerce. A loyal Buckeye, he was senior manager of the Ohio State Varsity Football team in 1934. He continued his support of OSU by participation as member of the Ohio State Varsity "O Association," life member of the Ohio State Alumni Club, President's Club and the Pace Setters Club. He was a recipient of the Ohio State Alumni Centennial Award, served on the advisory board of the College of Administrative Science and Pace Setters Board, and was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
A model of "the greatest generation," he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Jacob Jones [DE-130] in the Atlantic, European and Pacific theaters during World War II with an honorable discharge as a lieutenant, USNR. As a young man, he made his own way but returned to the community he loved, which he supported through his many activities and generous philanthropy.
He met and married the love of his life, Jane Stephenson, who was his best friend and lifetime companion. Jane was the perfect mate for "her Walter." He was retired president of The Rudin Company Department Store; and served as president and/or chairman of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Mount Vernon, the Retail Merchants Association, Mount Vernon Country Club, The Old Homestead Club, Civic Improvement Association, Downtown Revitalization Committee and United Way of Knox County. In addition he was member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College Advisory Group and the Heritage Row Restoration Partners in downtown Mount Vernon and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
He has served as a trustee and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon and was a member of the Dan C. Stone Jr. Post of the American Legion, Aladdin Shrine and held a 32nd Degree in the Masonic Lodge. He was also past director of the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Mount Vernon. He is the namesake of the Walter Rudin Award, given by the Mount Vernon Heritage Centre Association to community members who give time and talent to downtown revitalization. In January 2005 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, an award that he fully appreciated because as he said in his own words "the community has been my life." The Mount Vernon Rotary 100th Year Service Project is the Rotary Centennial Playground (at Riverside Park ) dedicated to Walter and Dr. George Deeley, friends and longtime members of the Mount Vernon Rotary Club. Though humble in nature, he honored his heritage and was a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jane (Stephenson) Rudin; sister, Margaret (James) Beam; brother, John W. Rudin Jr.; and parents, John and Grace Rudin.
He is survived by a son, Walter M. (Sharmon) Rudin Jr. of Upper Arlington; and daughter, Patti (Thomas) Albaugh of Mount Vernon; three grandchildren, Kathryn (Thomas) Cummiskey of Granville, Ohio, Amy Baker of Chicago, Ill., and Justin Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla; two great-grandchildren, John and Emma Cummiskey; and many dear friends who blessed his life with love and laughter.
He has left a legacy of love, community involvement, and good will. Born Oct. 18, 1913, to John and Grace (Dann) Rudin, he was a graduate of The Ohio State University, College of Commerce. A loyal Buckeye, he was senior manager of the Ohio State Varsity Football team in 1934. He continued his support of OSU by participation as member of the Ohio State Varsity "O Association," life member of the Ohio State Alumni Club, President's Club and the Pace Setters Club. He was a recipient of the Ohio State Alumni Centennial Award, served on the advisory board of the College of Administrative Science and Pace Setters Board, and was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
A model of "the greatest generation," he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Jacob Jones [DE-130] in the Atlantic, European and Pacific theaters during World War II with an honorable discharge as a lieutenant, USNR. As a young man, he made his own way but returned to the community he loved, which he supported through his many activities and generous philanthropy.
He met and married the love of his life, Jane Stephenson, who was his best friend and lifetime companion. Jane was the perfect mate for "her Walter." He was retired president of The Rudin Company Department Store; and served as president and/or chairman of the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Mount Vernon, the Retail Merchants Association, Mount Vernon Country Club, The Old Homestead Club, Civic Improvement Association, Downtown Revitalization Committee and United Way of Knox County. In addition he was member of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College Advisory Group and the Heritage Row Restoration Partners in downtown Mount Vernon and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
He has served as a trustee and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon and was a member of the Dan C. Stone Jr. Post of the American Legion, Aladdin Shrine and held a 32nd Degree in the Masonic Lodge. He was also past director of the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Mount Vernon. He is the namesake of the Walter Rudin Award, given by the Mount Vernon Heritage Centre Association to community members who give time and talent to downtown revitalization. In January 2005 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, an award that he fully appreciated because as he said in his own words "the community has been my life." The Mount Vernon Rotary 100th Year Service Project is the Rotary Centennial Playground (at Riverside Park ) dedicated to Walter and Dr. George Deeley, friends and longtime members of the Mount Vernon Rotary Club. Though humble in nature, he honored his heritage and was a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jane (Stephenson) Rudin; sister, Margaret (James) Beam; brother, John W. Rudin Jr.; and parents, John and Grace Rudin.
He is survived by a son, Walter M. (Sharmon) Rudin Jr. of Upper Arlington; and daughter, Patti (Thomas) Albaugh of Mount Vernon; three grandchildren, Kathryn (Thomas) Cummiskey of Granville, Ohio, Amy Baker of Chicago, Ill., and Justin Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla; two great-grandchildren, John and Emma Cummiskey; and many dear friends who blessed his life with love and laughter.
