RUDOLPH BERUS
Longtime Alaskan Rudolph Stephen Berus died peacefully at his Anchorage home surrounded by family on May 6. Services will be held at a later date when such gatherings are allowed.
Rudolph (Rudy) was born December 7, 1938 in Wheeling, West Virginia to Rudolph A. and Stephana Berus. He graduated from St. John Central High School in St. Bellaire, Ohio in 1956. He moved to Alaska in 1960 and was employed by Consolidated Freightways as a line truck driver. In the winters he was a ski instructor for Gary King Ski School at Alyeska Resort. It was at Alyeska that he met his future wife, Marianne Keenan. They married in 1967.
In 1966 Rudy enrolled in Northrup Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1970. Shortly thereafter he commenced a long and distinguished career of federal service.
His first significant job was a position of overseeing on behalf of the U. S Government, the construction of a section of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. He then accepted a position with the U. S. Fish and Wild Service. His first assignment was to establish the engineering office. While at USF&W he supervised many challenging and innovative projects including the construction of the R/V Tiglax, a 118 foot research and support ship that often sails the Alaskan waters from Southeast to Aleutians, Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea.
His next position was with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Aircraft Services (OAS) located at Lake Hood in Anchorage. As many as thirty people worked under his supervision and he was responsible for the maintenance, operation and development of approximately fifty aircraft of all descriptions. While at OAS he designed and supervised the construction of their new office/hangar building.
He was an active private pilot for 50 years, flying numerous aircraft from his first plane, a Taylor Craft, and ending up with his beloved Cessna 185 float plane. He and his family have fond memories of their times at their cabin on Trapper Lake. Rudy was an accomplished carpenter, cabinet maker and wood turner, creating many objects in use today at Holy Family Cathedral, including the pulpit and an extension to the altar.
In retirement Rudy enjoyed flying and wood turning. He especially enjoyed the Wednesday lunches with the “Over the Hill” gang and drinking Hamms beer with his pals at his float shack on Lake Hood. He was active in the Alaska Wood Turners Association.
He was very active at his church, Holy Family Cathedral. He served as a Eucharistic Minister, a Reader and sat on the Parish Council. A most significant contribution was his volunteer service as Construction Manager of the recently completed $4 million dollar Parish Rectory.
He was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Marianne; his son Daniel of Phoenix, Arizona; his daughters Teresa Berus and Jolene Kullberg (Kirk) of Anchorage and his three grandsons Blake and Eli Kullberg and Gabriel Berus; his sister Dr. Mary Regina Jennette (Chuck) of Bridgeport, Ohio; and his brother Francis of St. Clairesville, Ohio and several nieces and nephews.