Rudolph E. Rudy Stephen

Rudolph E. “Rudy” Stephen, 87, passed away, Wednesday, November 20, 2013. Rosary, 7 p.m., Sunday, November 24, Downing Lahey West. Funeral Mass, 10 a.m., Monday, November 25, St. Patrick Catholic Church. Rudy was born on July 19, 1926 in Sioux City, Iowa. At the age of three, his family moved to Wichita. At a young age, Rudy worked at a grocery store. Later, he worked at Boeing, then opened a liquor store. He married the love of his life, Mary Sjogren, in 1950. In 1952, he was drafted into the Army. Rudy began a career as a real estate broker in the early 1960s. In 1971, he was appointed by Governor Docking to the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals where he served four years. He was appointed by Governor Bennett for a second four year term as chairman. Rudy was a lifelong member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. He was also a member of the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus and the Breakfast Optimist Club. Preceded in death by parents, Charles and Jennie; brother, Kenneth; sisters, Virginia, Ramee and Freeda. Survivors: loving wife, Mary; son, Robert (Kim); daughters, Ann Weller (Phil) and Caroline Elson (Tom), all of Wichita; sisters, Louise Hayes, Waneta White (Gordon) and Regina Stephen, all of Wichita; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren. Memorials established with St. Patrick Catholic School, 2007 N. Arkansas, Wichita, KS 67203 and St. Katherine Drexel Catholic School Fund, 424 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67202. The family would like to express their appreciation to the caregivers at the Catholic Care Center where Rudy resided for the last three years