Rudi was born to Karl and Berta Fuchs on October 25, 1931 in the Black Forest area of Germany. Following the loss of his father to a disabling accident in 1934, and the ensuing years of war which consumed much of his childhood, he completed his education and left Europe in 1953 to build a life in the United States. A year into his stay, he was drafted and joined the U.S. Air Force. While on leave, he met his Swiss-born wife Trudy at a May dance in Poughkeepsie, NY. They were married two years later in Switzerland and started a family while posted at the Rhein Main Air Force base in Frankfurt, Germany. Back home in the United States, his Air Force training and experience led to a 20-year career with the General Electric Company. By 1969, his family had grown to include five children.
At the age of 50, Rudi left General Electric to pursue his dream of becoming a business owner. He and Trudy built Fox Hill Nursery from the ground up in western North Carolina and later relocated to the Skagit Valley of Washington State. They worked side by side for 32 more years. Early on they propagated plants native to the southeastern US, but Fox Hill Nursery soon became known for growing a wide variety of grafted ornamental trees – most notably Japanese Maples. Over time, Rudi became a master nurseryman, grafting 10,000 trees by hand each year. He also cherished his late-in-life friendship and business partnership with Lanney Wixson – enjoying many San Juan Island adventures and investing pursuits.
Rudi was a life-long fly fisherman, an experienced beekeeper, a talented wood worker, an accomplished competitive swimmer, a man who could build and fix most anything, one who insisted on owning the right tool for the job at hand, a voracious reader who never stopped learning, and a friend who gave generously of his time and talents. He believed in high standards, hard work, plain speech, and seeking counsel from others. Rudi was a lover of God, family, the United States, dessert, slapstick comedy, a well-played soccer match, a good story, and the great outdoors. He was a most devoted husband to his wife of 64 years, a steadfast father to their five children (as well as a quiet support to many others), and a loving “Opa” to his nine grandchildren.
He leaves behind a living legacy - the love of his life Trudy, their children Audrey (Jeff), Kirsten (Larry), Robert, Ursula (Larry), Lars (Mary-Catherine), his grandchildren Kendra (Matt), Jordan (Ben), Kelsey (Troy), Connor (Janelle), Henry, Eamon, Sophia, Talia and Quinn, his great grandchildren Peter, Theo, and baby Carmichael - and many thousands of trees growing throughout the country. His quick smile and sparkling eyes, the surety of his presence and sound advice, and his living example of taking bold chances in life will be profoundly missed.
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