John Hilleary Rudy Obituary (1935

John Hilleary Rudy was born January 3, 1935 on a bitter cold day in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the son of Mary Anne Everett Rudy and Charles Hilleary Rudy. John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Elva, of the home in Sand Springs, OK; daughters, Anne Hilleary Rudy of Sand Springs, Kristen Kate Hill and husband, David, of Austin, TX, Mary Margaret Luttrell and husband, Mike, of Sand Springs, Amy Elizabeth Oates and husband, Skyler, of Sand Springs; grandchildren, Luke William Hill, Halle Kate Hill, Zane Thomas Hill, John David Hill, Elizabeth Suzanne Luttrell, Michael David Luttrell, Jr., and Daniel Charles Oates. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Kate Parris of Florida. John attended school at Sydney Lanier Elementary and Woodrow Wilson Junior High. He moved to Sand Springs with his parents and sister, Mary Kate Rudy, in 1950 and attended Sand Springs High School. He graduated from Sand Springs High School in 1953. John attended the University of Tulsa for two years while working part-time at R-K Motors. While at TU he pledged and became a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He transferred to the University of Oklahoma his junior year. After attending for one year, his Father had a serious heart attack and John had to quit school and come home to be involved with the daily duties of R-K Motors Ford dealership with over 20 employees. John Rudy was 21 years old at the time. He continued part-time classes at the business school of the University of Tulsa while working at R-K Motors. He was a double major and received his degree in Business Management and Marketing at the University of Tulsa in 1960. Upon completion of his degree, he went full time with R-K Motors. June 24th, 1961, John married Elva Faye Parris, who was an English teacher at Edison High School. Shortly after, in 1966 John's father passed and he took over all executive duties at R-K Motors. He ran the company with the assistance of many great employees through the years. R-K Motors thrived with the help of those great people. Ford Motor Company recognized John's achievements with an award for 50 Plus years of continuous operation in Sand Springs. During these years, the Rudy's continued to make payments and ultimately purchased the half ownership of R-K Motors from Charles Rudy's former partner, Glade Kirkpatrick. In 1972, John and Elva Rudy formed a trust and purchased six acres of property from the Sand Springs Home Interests, with the prospect of relocating R-K Motors Ford. This historical property contained a large dairy barn which became a thriving flea market for several years. The Rudy's also purchased adjoining property on Second Street which is now real estate rental property. After several successful years, John Rudy sold the R-K Motors franchise to the Noller Automotive Group in 1995. However, he had the infinite wisdom to lease his real estate to the new buyer. Noller Automotive Group tore down the old dairy barn and built a new Ford dealership. With just three years remaining on the lease, now with Ford Motor Company, Tulsa Technology approached John about selling his property. The John H. Rudy Family, with the assistance of the Sand Springs School System, Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce, City of Sand Springs Management, Tulsa Technology Administrative Board, and several influential Sandites, agreed to sell the property to Tulsa Technology Center. That beautiful new Tulsa Technology campus is now a remarkable landmark for the city of Sand Springs. Several of John's passions were his support of the original Sand Springs Education Foundation with his original donation at the first Box Lunch. In 1982, John became a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and is a perpetually endowed member in the Sand Springs Masonic Lodge and Tulsa Scottish Rite. John has been a member of the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce for 40 plus years. He served two terms as a City Councilman for the City of Sand Springs. He's a member of the Sand Springs Rotary Club for 50 plus years. John is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and has provided twelve new Paul Harris Fellow awards, which makes him a Major Donor. He's been a Gideon for over 50 years. In 2009, he was honored by the Sand Springs Herbal Affair as a "Hometown Hero". John was a longtime deacon and trustee for Broadway Baptist Church. He helped direct and donate to keep the church repaired, painted, and maintained. He has been a longtime supporter of DaySpring Villa providing assistance with the vans and transportation. John's wife, Elva is a 1956 graduate of Sand Springs and former English teacher at Charles Page High School. John and Elva had four beautiful daughters, Anne, Kristen, Mary, and Amy, who all graduated from Charles Page High School. In conclusion, John always loved his Cessna 172, but his favorite flight was with Elva on the Concorde in 1983 after winning a national Ford contest. John sold 50 new Fords to one company during that contest. One of John's favorite quotes from Sand Springs High School was from C.C. Jelks, "Smart People Plan Ahead!" Each and every time John walked through the doors of R-K Motors, he would say, "I am just having fun!" John has one question for everyone, "Have You Driven A Ford Lately?" The funeral service for John will be broadcast live on the Dillon Funeral Service Facebook page.