Rudolph Vuksinick, 91 years of age, passed on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at home with his family.
Rudy was born July 25, 1929 in Royal, Utah, to the late Rudolph and Annie Sterlekar Vuksinick. He was the youngest of two children and was preceded by his sister Elsie in death. Rudy grew up in the Royal and Castle Gate coal camps, and later Spring Glen, Utah. He joined the Army at age 16. When his age was discovered he was sent back to Utah where he graduated from Carbon High.
Rudy met his future wife when his family moved from Royal to Spring Glen, Utah, both then age 14. He knew when he saw her walk out of the school doors that she was the one. He was smitten with his “Little Englishman” and they married six years later on May 13, 1949. Rudy and Mildred had five children.
After finishing vocational school, Rudy worked as a mechanic for the Castle Gate Mine. Never satisfied with working for someone else, in about 1958 he left the mine to start his own business, Rudy’s Chevron, then located in Helper, between the city building and what was then the Five, Ten and Twenty-five Cent Store. In 1962 he moved his family to Provo, where he opened R & G Texaco, with his friend, Glen Stole. Later, he operated Rudy’s Chevron, also in Provo. In 1970, Rudy left the service station business for the auto parts business, first under the American Parts banner and later under the NAPA banner, but always RPM Auto Parts. Fittingly, if you knew Rudy, the original auto parts store was located in what was formerly the Nugget Lounge. The original crew was Rudy, sons Tom and Kurt, and loyal friend Norm Crosby (manning the counter) and Mildred (delivering the parts in a 1955 Ford pickup and tallying the receipts at the end of the day). As with everything he did, his auto parts business was very successful. The one store is now three, operated by this sons Kurt and Albert, and grandson Gehrhart.
Rudy’s family and the family business were his passions. At one time or another the family business employed all his children and several of his grandchildren and nephews. His first two grandchildren—Rudy K. and April—were raised in the auto parts store. He was a much-admired father and without exception a loving (and much loved) husband, and except for—in his younger years—an occasional stop at Harold’s tavern or the Stork Club on the way home from a hard day’s work. He was also a dutiful husband.
You had to know Rudy to appreciate the quality of the man. He was an irresistible combination of optimism, strength of character, and unbounded energy. He was accepting of all, compassionate and his love came without conditions. He was gregarious to the point of being the life of every party. As a result, he had a great many friends.
Rudy took pride in his ethnic heritage and was proud to be a “bohunk.” At 83 he got his first and only tattoo—the Slovenian coat of arms. He has been a lifelong member of the Slovenian National Benefit Society and the Slovenian National Home Lodge.
He touched many lives and will be missed by all.
Rudy is survived by his wife Mildred; children, Tom (Lori), Kurt (Jeana), Albert, Jamie, and Brett (Paul); 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by this sister, Elsie Anderson; beloved grandson, Rudy K. Vuksinick and great-granddaughter Jayda Bryner.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 5-7:00 p.m. at Berg Mortuary (500 N. State Street, Orem Utah). Funeral service, Friday, January 29, 2021, 11:00 a.m., Mitchell Funeral Home (233 E. Main Street, Price Utah) where a viewing will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Austrian Central Cemetery in Spring Glen. Please wear masks at the viewing and funeral per State Public Health Order 2021-3. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net