Rudolph V. Stempel

East Berne- Rudolph "Rudy" Valentino Stempel, 82, was taken into the arms of our Lord January 30, 2012, after being stricken where he bowled in a league for over 40 years. He was transported by ambulance to St. Peter's Hospital where doctors fought valiantly to save him, but his heart was too tired. Rudy join the Army in January 1951, and served his country on the front lines in Korea as part of the Corp of Engineers. When Rudy was honorably discharged from the Army in 1953, the experience he had while there helped him to get work in the construction industry. After getting married in 1953, he took his life savings and bought a "sawmill" which he used to saw lumber for a home for his wife. A Frenchman he became acquainted with taught him to saw and his sawmill business was in the wing, when he wasn't farming on his father's farm, but the life of a Sawyer was more in his blood than farming. Rudy was a charter member of the East Berne fire company. He served for years as one of the directors of the Kiwanis of the Helderbergs. He was instrumental in building a baseball field on Stage Road on part of his father's farm, where Rudy coached the East Berne Indian Little League team. He will be remembered as being the first Republican to be elected the town government as supervisor in over 40 years. As safety coordinator for the Memorial Day Parade in Berne, he procured the help of New York State troopers to lead the parade. He would sit on the passenger side of the trooper car and people along the parade route would cheer and applaud as he went by. Rudy will be remembered as a workaholic all his life. His sawmill, was his life along with his family. Even as a young husband, he would work well into the night to make a living for his wife and six children. Rudy is survived by his wife Sheila, of almost 59 years; children, Catherine and her husband Arthur Appleby, Brian and his wife Kathy Stempel, Sandra and her husband James Kisselback, Linda and her husband Paul Gicewicz, Greg and his wife Tammy Stempel; Rudy was predeceased by his mother and father, a sister Veronika and a brother John Jr. He was also predeceased by his son Eric. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, Avery, Nathan and Molly Stempel, Mark Conklin, Allen and Rudy-Greg Stempel, Gwen and Christopher Appleby, Sarah and Charlotte Gicewicz; five great-grandchildren Kayla and Fox Riffenburg-Stempel, Logan and Trevor Stempel and Austin Conklin. Rudy was a one-of-a-kind human being never afraid to lend a helping hand to his neighbor. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A funeral service will be held at 12:30 PM on Friday, February 3, 2012 at the Thompson's Lake Reformed Church, East Berne, followed by interment in Woodlawn Cemetery, Berne. Friends may call prior to the service at the church from 10 AM to 12 PM. In lieu of flowers, help someone in need.