Richard Rudeloff

Richard Edward Rudeloff, 93, died on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 in Beeville, Texas. He was born to Otto Dietrick Rudeloff and Sylvia Freienmuth Rudeloff on February 7, 1924 in Seguin, Texas. As a child, he lived in Tynan, Texas before the family moved to Beeville in 1936.

Mr. Rudeloff graduated from A.C. Jones High School in Beeville in 1941 and received a B.A. Degree from Texas A&M University in 1948 and a Bachelor of Laws and a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin in 1950. In February of 1943, prior to completing his courses at Texas A&M, he was drafted into the military service. He served with the United States Army Air Corps as a weather observer and upper atmospheric sonar operator. Mr. Rudeloff was sent to China where he was attached to a six-man OSS unit operating within Japanese-controlled areas.

Following his admittance to the Texas Bar Association, Mr. Rudeloff practiced law in south Texas. He practiced in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and in Texas state courts. He was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, served on the State Bar Grievance Committee, and served for a brief period as Beeville City Manager. Elected County Attorney of Bee County in 1952, Mr. Rudeloff held that office until 1969. In 1990 and 1991, he accepted the invitations of the University of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Kazakhstan to teach American Jurisprudence and Business Law at the Law School of that university.

Mr. Rudeloff served as an usher for many years at the First United Methodist Church of Beeville where he was also a Steward, served as Chairman of the Board of Stewards, taught Sunday School from 1958 until 1979, and acted as felicitator of the Library Sunday School. On November 16, 2006, he became a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church of Beeville, Texas and remained a member until his death. He was active in his community having served as a member of the Beeville A.F. & A.M. Lodge No 261 performing Masonic graveside burials for deceased brother Masons and was an officer or member of numerous service clubs including; the Beeville Kiwanis Club, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Field Service, The Navy League, the Full Gospel Business Men’s Association, local Advisor and Area Advisor to the Woman’s Aglow Fellowship, and was active in the Lay Witness Mission and in the Windmill Emmaus Community. Mr. Rudeloff took over the chairmanship of the Bee County Democratic Party in 1970 and served in that capacity for a number of years.

Richard is survived by his beloved wife Martha West Rudeloff of Beeville and his daughter Debra Ann Engelke and husband Miles of Seguin. He is also survived by his sister Sylvia McCord of Beeville and three grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Visitation will be on Friday, July 21, 2017 at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home Chapel from 5:00- 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church at 10:00 a.m. officiated by Reverend Clayton Elder and Reverend Brian Tarver with interment to follow at Glenwood Cemetery in Beeville. Pallbearers will be Jerry Rodriguez, Tom Aman, Bill Nonus, Frank Warner, Boyd Bauer, and Dennis DeWitt.

Memorials may be made to St. Philip’s Episcopal School, 311 E. Corpus Christi Street, Beeville, Texas 78102.