Obituary of Alice Rudlinger

RUDLINGER Alice L., age 94, died peacefully on Thursday, February 23, 2012. Alice is survived by her two dear daughters: Jane and husband Howard Goodman of Franklin Lakes and Barbara Sesty of Secaucus; Oma to her four loving grandchildren: Gregory and wife Jennifer Goodman, Ryan and wife Anne Goodman, Erich Goodman and William and wife Victoria Sesty, her great-granddaughter Summer Sesty, and her sister-in-law Beatrice. Alice was predeceased by her beloved husband Edward and her brother George. Born and raised in Secaucus, she lived there for 70 years before moving to Hawthorne and Franklin Lakes. Her grandparents were among the founding families of Secaucus and St. Matthew's Lutheran Church of Secaucus. Alice enjoyed her association with the St. Matthew's Lutheran Church Ladies Aid Society where she served as an officer for many years. She believed in working hard but had a zest for life and was always up for organizing social activities for members and friends! She was especially proud of her life-long association with the town including serving as a committee member for its 75th Anniversary. As an active contributor to the Secaucus Home News, she often wrote columns about historical Secaucus. Alice was very involved in many civic organizations. She and her husband Edward founded Rudox Engine and Equipment Company, a manufacturer of generator sets, in Secaucus in 1949. Although the firm has moved to Carlstadt, the company is now in its third generation of family ownership and prospers as a result of the business practices put in place by Alice and Edward. Alice was ahead of her time in many ways and had a gift for business. Her significant contributions to business were recognized in 1975 when she was honored as a Woman of Achievement by the Jersey Journal Newspaper and recognized by First Lady, Mrs. Gerald Ford. Alice always attributed much of her success to her love of reading and annually attended the Founders Day functions at the Secaucus Huber Street PTA from 1957 to 2010 and was rewarded with a Life Member designation. Alice was an active member when her children were in school and served as the Secaucus Huber Street School PTA President and in other roles for many terms. She was a faithful advocate for the PTA and recommended that all parents actively participate in their children's education and learning. She supported the Secaucus Public Library through actions as evidenced by the "Alice Rudlinger Reading Room" at the library. In later years, she enjoyed her involvement with the Women's Club of Wyckoff. Always known for her outstanding ability to tell jokes, she was always prepared with a few jokes for every meeting to entertain the members. Friends may visit on Sunday, 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home (vpfh.com), 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ. A Funeral Service celebrating Alice's life will take place on Monday, 9:30 AM at Wyckoff Reformed Church, 580 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ. Please meet at the church. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Ladies Aid Society of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, 800 Roosevelt Ave., Secaucus, NJ 07094, or the Secaucus Public Library, 1379 Paterson Plank Road Secaucus, NJ 07094, would be appreciated.