Rudolf Felix Lipski |
| Posted 2021-01-10 by mhenderson |
| Published in Today's News-Herald on Jan. 10, 2021 - Lake Havasu City, Arizona - Rudolf Felix (“Rudy”) Lipski, who was born in Wartenburg, (East Prussia), Germany on November 17, 1931, died December 23, 2020 of complications of COVID-19 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Following a traditional German apprenticeship in a machine shop, Rudy joined the Merchant Marine and enjoyed navigating the world’s port cities. Sponsored by his uncle, Felix Miller, Rudy emigrated to America in 1953 and, as Rudy would explain to his children and grandchildren, “landed on Friday and started work on Monday.” He became a United States citizen in Detroit, Michigan in August, 1956, and concurrently enlisted in the United States Army. Rudy married Shirley Cox on August 25, 1956; the couple had two daughters, Doris (“Dottie”) Lipski, who lives in New York City, and Marla Heller, of Michigan. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce. Rudy founded Fraser Grinding in Michigan in 1962 and grew his precision grinding business to encompass ten locations at its peak; even on the afternoon of his passing, Rudy had his daily summary call with his foreman back at the shop and remained a passionate, hands-on boss whose business success was his proudest achievement. In 1975 Rudy married Marjorie McAdams to form a blended family with his step-children Patti Gardner and Steven Moore, both of Maui, HI and Mike Moore of Michigan. Rudy and Marge were married forty-two years until her death, in Arizona, in 2017. In addition to the five children, Rudy is survived by the last of a tightknit set of cousins, Arthur Miller, of Saline, MI; nine grandchildren: Brandon, Tiffany, Allison, Robert, Jamie, Aaron, Sennel, Kevin and Steve and; three great-grandchildren, Mason, Karlee and Skylar; and a great-granddaughter due in late Spring 2021. True to his marine wanderlust, Rudy enjoyed living in Michigan, Florida and Hawaii, before settling in Lake Havasu City in 2013. Rudy enjoyed many warm friendships in Lake Havasu, for which his family is grateful. The friends dined at the Elks Club, Club 95 and many other venues, and enjoyed Sunday football at Rudy’s house to cheer on the Lions, Bears and Packers. And cards; how the friends loved to play cards. The genial host with the tasty snacks and the eternally-boyish grin was still the precision grinder who could, seemingly, calculate thousandths of an inch tolerances in his head and never forget a card. And loved to keep score! He kept that mental engine tuned with his daily Sudoku puzzles and loved the puzzle books Dottie regularly sent. Rudy was cremated in Lake Havasu City and the family will spread his ashes to intermix with those of his beloved Marge at the Lavender Farm on Maui, HI in the autumn of 2021. The family plans to endow a memorial bench in Lake Havasu for friends old and new to gather, reflect and enjoy fellowship. Memorial plaques will be displayed at Fraser Grinding locations in Michigan; the shops were Rudy’s pride and joy and are, going forward, his lasting legacy. Rudy Lipski was a man of few words and an abundant sense of humor. He led by example – if you followed his lead you were certain to excel – and the gleeful grin could not obscure that he was a man of tremendous integrity, discipline and generosity. Services were entrusted to the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the family at www.lietz- frazefuneralhome.com. To send a free card go to www.sendoutcards.com/lietzfraze. |
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