Longtime San Lorenzo Valley resident Albert Gayle “Al” Rudy, 83, died Aug. 9 of complications of his treatment for cancer.
A native of Toole, Utah, Mr. Rudy moved to San Jose with his family in 1934 and he attended San Jose High School. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Bound for the Philippines when the Japanese surrendered, his troopship was diverted to Tokyo Bay, and he landed in Japan with the first American Occupation Forces. While stationed in Japan, he developed a great sympathy for the civilians, learned the language and worked, for a time, as an interpreter.
In 1946, he returned to San Jose, where he resumed his pre-Army interest in dirt track motorcycle racing. San Jose racing star Sam Arena was impressed with Mr. Rudy’s natural ability, and at his urging, Tom Sifton, the premiere tuner of the era, picked Mr. Rudy to ride for him. After wins in several important West Coast dirt track races for Sifton, his career was cut short by a street bike accident in 1949, when he lost his left leg just below the knee. He tried a comeback with a prosthetic leg but retired after one race.
Mr. Rudy mastered new computer technology, and when he retired at age 55, he supervised data systems for the pharmaceutical conglomerate AMFAC.
He moved his family from San Jose to the San Lorenzo Valley in 1965. After years of commuting to San Jose, he retired from AMFAC in 1978 and bought Ernie’s ARCO gas station in Felton. He operated the station until 1986, when he sold it to his son Gordon and retired.
Mr. Rudy is survived by his wife of 56 years, Joyce Rudy of Ben Lomond; children, Gordon Rudy of Santa Cruz, Chris Rudy of Boulder Creek and Jill (Rudy) Gross of Ben Lomond, and their spouses; and siblings, Gene Rudy of Washington and Lloyd Rudy, LaRue (Rudy) Lewis and Lawana (Rudy) Hall, all of Logan, Utah; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
In lieu of a formal service, a memorial at Mr. Rudy’s home will begin at noon Saturday, Aug. 21, at 355 North St., in Ben Lomond.
