RENO J. RUDARI

April 19, 1931 - September 12, 2019

Reno Joseph Rudari lived life to the fullest in spirit, word, deed and faith. He was a man of great joy, who readily shared it with those around him; a man of great generosity and compassion; and a trusted friend, confidant, and colleague. Most importantly, Reno was a devoted and loving husband, father, son, uncle, and servant of God. He recognized that his greatest gifts were his wife, Jane, and their long and happy marriage. With the love of his life at his side, Reno passed away at the Centers at St. Camillus on 12 September 2019. He was on 19 April 1931 in Solvay, New York, to Giuseppe and Angelina (Fracchetti) Rudari. A 1948 graduate of Solvay High School, Reno studied in a vocational track, sang in the choir, played in the band, and served on the stage crew. He served in the United States Army from 1953-1955 in stateside postings in Massachusetts, Indiana, and most memorably, Colorado Springs, where he served with his dear friend, Jim Sheridan, attaining the rank of Sergeant. Following his separation from active duty, he served in the Army Reserve in Syracuse until 1961. Reno trained as a tool and die maker, gaining invaluable skills that enabled him to fix anything, including his son’s orthodontia, and to build, improve and maintain his most cherished achievement, the family home. He knew every inch of the house and he knew how to fix it. Employed by the Easy Washing Machine Company, Reno met Jane there in 1950. In 1956, he began a thirty-three year career with the General Electric Company that brought him to the Electronics Park, Auburn, and Court Street plants, retiring in the winter of 1989. Reno started out with GE as a toolmaker, and retired in 1989 as a Facilities Planner. Reno supervised multiple production lines after moving from the tool room to production, and, in the winter of 1972, he was part of a team that relocated and installed a production line in the Texas Instruments factory in Houston, Texas. He represented GE Syracuse in a production line introduced in Dundock, Ireland, in 1978, and was an independent consultant for a start-up company in New Jersey in 1972. A sixty-one year resident of Howlett Hill, Reno was a member of the Howlett Hill Fire Department. He served as a firefighter and as a corporate officer, and he was involved in the early iterations of the King’s Feast, which were times of intense labor, heavy planning, and a great deal of fun with his friends and neighbors. He was a long-standing member of the Solvay Tyrol Club, joyfully serving the Club as a polenta chef, and as a board officer. Reno helped provide the initial computer-based membership system for the Men’s organization. He was also a member of the St. Vincent Happy Roamers and the GE Retired Employees Group. For many years, he met monthly for breakfast with retired colleagues. An avid golfer and bowler, Reno played golf in many leagues sponsored by GE and the Solvay Tyrol Club. He bowled for the Howlett Hill Fire Department, General Electric and Syracuse Bowling Center Mixed Leagues with his wife and their neighbors. Reno was also a member of the Friday Night Pitch League at the Solvay Tyrol Club. He was a communicant of The Church of St. Michael/St. Peter, where he served as an usher at both the St. Michael’s and St. Peter’s churches for many years, until the parish consolidated into one campus, where he continued to serve until his health would not allow him to continue. Reno could thoughtfully argue any point with the best, see multiple sides of problems, and find multiple solutions to them. He was a voracious reader and student of science and history, and he encouraged the same in his son. He loved music of all types. He was drawn to band and choral music, especially the singing of the Coro del S.A.T., but he loved opera, symphonic music, musical theatre, and chamber music, especially if his son was performing or conducting. With little coercion, he would build small set pieces for the South Jeff Musicals, and then come up to see the show, and try to fix the set piece “for the next time.” Some of David’s early memories include driving down to Camillus Plaza and sitting in the parking lot, watching and listening to the West Genesee Marching Band; sitting in the kitchen after dinner on Saturday night, and singing old songs while Reno played the ukulele; and hearing Reno sing hymns in church with perfect melody, just an octave lower than everyone else. Reno and Jane fostered their son’s musical interest, his love of singing, and his lack of fear in singing harmony. They told him that anyone can sing melody, but if you can harmonize, that’s where the fun is! Reno admirably rescued flawed executions of science projects, Pinewood Derby Cars, and woodshop projects. Reno was never very far from his son’s church ministry or one of his performances, even if it was out of town. He and Jane faithfully attended everything they could, often with Reno’s mother, Angelina, dear friends, Jim and Anne Sheridan, Marc Wildman, David and Melissa Dragicevich, and his in-laws, Russ and Rosemarie Pullano; which connected them with David’s colleagues, his friends, his teachers, mentors, presidents, and their families. If they couldn’t attend, there was always an audio or video recording available, which Reno repeatedly played. Reno and Jane’s last trip was to West Virginia to see David receive his post-graduate degree. He was a mainstay at OCC performances, and loved to sit with Santa Ludwig, where they would chat and enjoy the students’ performances. With an adventurous spirit, Reno loved to travel, especially to the Thousand Islands and St. Lawrence Seaway. He enjoyed living in Colorado with Jane and the Sheridans, but was also content with a trip around town, going to a bowling tournament with fire department pals, visiting a new store with Jane, or just a quiet dinner out. He was an exceptional tour guide and could find his way out of any lost situation without a map. Reno spent countless hours in spring and summer tending the lawn and flower gardens around his home, while the vegetables were left to his mother’s care until advanced age forced her to retire from a ground level garden. Reno picked up the charge and grew more tomatoes and peppers from pickle buckets than his family and friends could consume. Reno was an expert cook, whose polenta could not be beat. His kindness, smile, mischievous eyes, laughter, and his unending supply of jokes will be missed. He was never the neighbor who yelled, “Stay off my lawn!” He would encourage the use of a different part, instead! He reveled in the antics of and conversation with his great nieces and nephew, and the kids in the neighborhood. He fixed bikes and taught games. He coached and cajoled, and let them help build a shed, rake the lawn, or catch frogs. He joyfully sat as a guest at their graduations and weddings. Jane and David thought Reno knew everyone, and it seemed he could go nowhere without running into someone he met somewhere. His home was one of comfort, shelter, and abundance, even in difficult times. He loved to surround himself with family and friends, and his happiest moments were reunions with his family from Italy in two visits to Avio, Provincia di Trento in 1978 and 2000, and during their visits to the US from 1975 to 2012. All were welcome to the family table and no matter who cooked, Reno, Jane, or Angelina, people never left the table hungry or unfulfilled. Strangers became friends, and friends became family. His final years were focused on the love of his life, Jane. He worked doggedly on her behalf as her health declined. Like with his mother, in her final years, he hated the thought of nursing home care, when he could no longer manage her needs, and he admitted a defeat when he admitted Jane to St. Camillus. Yet, he immersed himself into her world there, faithfully visiting every day, talking with the staff, joking with other residents, making sure Jane was comfortable, and attending and enjoying events with her. When David returned from West Virginia, they worked together seeing to her needs and, when the time came, David stepped in more actively and had wonderful assistance from his dear friend, Deborah Copp, who saw to his daily needs, kept him wonderfully fed, warm, comfortable, healthy, and entertained. Reno joined the Community at St. Camillus, where he completed his journey. Even in dementia, he was focused on Jane. If he saw someone at St. Camillus do or say something questionable around Jane, he would make his way over to intervene on her behalf. Reno was predeceased by his parents; his sister Rose Giacinta; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Rosario and Rosemarie (Merola) Pullano; multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins in Italy and the US, and three sons who died in infancy. He is survived by his wife of sixty-six years, Jane (Merola) Rudari, and his son, Dr. David J. Rudari, both of Syracuse; two nephews; four great-nieces and two great-nephews, and multiple cousins in Italy and the US. Reno’s final arrangements were entrusted to the care of Bagozzi Twins Funeral Home, Solvay. A calling hour will be held at The Church of St. Michael/St. Peter, Onondaga Hill on 30 September 2019, at 5 p.m., followed by a funeral mass at 6 p.m. Reno’s burial in the Howlett Hill Cemetery will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that one may consider a contribution to The Church of St. Michael/St. Peter (https://www.stmichael-stpeter.org/gift-donations) or the Onondaga Community College Foundation for Vocal Music Scholarships (visit www.sunyocc.edu/give or donate by mail to Onondaga Community College Foundation, Inc., 4585 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215. Jane and David are indebted to the staff at St. Camillus, most notably the Baker Unit teams, for their love, compassion, and dedication to Reno’s needs, even when he wasn’t at his best. “You made his comfort possible. You showed him the patience he showed others throughout his life, and never took away his dignity. We know that he waited until he was back in that community, near the one he loved to cross over. You made him know peace, warmth and rest in his final hours. For that, we are eternally grateful.” Please share online memories and tributes at www.bagozzitwins.com.