Rudolph Walter Kuzmich

Rudolph Walter (Rudy) Kuzmich, of Midland, Texas passed away peacefully on May 6, 2016 at his home in Midland at the age of 90. Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00AM on Friday, May 13, 2016 at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Midland, TX. Graveside services will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Mount Carmel, IL.Rudy was born on November 13, 1925 in Rock Island, Illinois the only son of Zahary and Anna (Gervalis) Kuzmich, immigrants from Ukraine and Lithuania. He graduated from Ft. Atkinson High School in Wisconsin on June 3, 1943, and entered the U.S. Navy, June 6, 1943, as a member of the V-12 Navy College Training Program at the University of Notre Dame. He transferred to fleet status in the fall of 1944 and served in the Pacific Theater and the China Sea aboard Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts. He returned to the U.S. at Charleston, SC, and was discharged from active service in June 1946. After the war, Rudy, utilizing the benefits of the G.I. Bill, returned to Notre Dame where he graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, the first geology degree ever awarded by the University.On September 16, 1947 he married Mary Ann Wood of Mt. Carmel, Illinois where they lived until 1984. After spending several winters in south Texas they decided to make Rancho Viejo, TX their permanent home. They lived there until Mary Ann’s death in 1996. Just 4 months short of their 50th wedding anniversary.After graduation from Notre Dame, Rudy was employed by George & Wrather Oil Company in Mt. Carmel, Illinois from 1949 to 1953 as a petroleum geologist. In 1956 he formed RK Petroleum Corp. as an oil and gas exploration and production company now headquartered in Midland, Texas.RK Petroleum Corp. has gone on to drill nearly 2,000 wells since its formation while making numerous new field discoveries. Rudy was a true wildcatter. He was selected Wildcatter of the year by the Illinois Oil & Gas Association in 1972 (the first recipient) and in 2005. Some called him lucky, but Rudy’s response was always the same: “The more holes you drill, the luckier you get.”Also, Rudy was the co-founder of Magnolia Mining Co., Caliche Drilling Co., Imperial Bowling Co., Tropicana Oil Co., Lanterra Resource, Inc. and Cavalier Oil Co. He was the founder of Rancho Viejo Volunteer Fire Department, and one of the founders and Chairman of the Board of Rancho Viejo National Bank. He was an alderman in the town of Rancho Viejo, Texas for six years.Over the years, Rudy has served on numerous boards. He was a Trustee of the Petroleum Museum, Library & Hall of Fame in Midland, Trustee of Trinity School of Midland and on the Board of Directors of The Cowboy Artists Museum in Kerrville, Texas. He was also an Honorary Director of Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Rudy was a 67 year member of the AAPG.In 1965, Rudy was given the Centennial of Science Award from the University of Notre Dame. This honor is awarded to the “Fifty Outstanding Living Alumni” of the Science Department. In 1995 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Mac Murry College in Jacksonville, Illinois.In 1979 while living in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, Rudy and Mary Ann founded the “Oil Patch Classic Golf Tournament” as a fundraiser for Mount Carmel area charities and it became an annual event. Rudy and Mary Ann were awarded the key to the city in 1984 for their service to the community.He married Janette Booker Reddig of San Antonio, Texas in 1999 and they resided in San Antonio until moving to Midland in 2008. In recent years they enjoyed spending time at their summer home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.After his move to Midland, he resumed work at RK Petroleum Corp. as an exploration geologist. His main focus was the Illinois basin, the basin where his career began. In later years he spent his time prolifically documenting his life and that of his family.Rudy was preceded in death by his parents, Zahary and Anna (Gervalis) Kuzmich; wife, Mary Ann; son, John Tracy; sister, Frances May; half-sisters, Mary Depke, Julia Nelson, Anna Krebs and Idella Solverson; nephew, James Arnold; and nieces, Jill Solverson and Betty Arnold.Rudy is survived by his wife, Janette Kuzmich; daughter, Berkley Ann Kuzmich of San Antonio, TX; son, Clinton Joseph Kuzmich and wife, Louise; son, Stephen Wood Kuzmich and wife, Colleen; son, Thomas Matthew Kuzmich, all of Midland TX; step-children, Greg Hill of Greenwood, IN and Christi Tooley and husband, Mark, of Chandler, IN; 17 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren; seven nieces; and two nephews.We extend our profound gratitude to the nurses at Nurses Unlimited and Hospice of Midland as well as all of the family members who helped in the care of Rudy.Honorary Pallbearers will be Hyle Doss, William R. Wolf, Gene Sledge, Arthur W. Schmidt, Thomas E. Price and Phillip Caserotti.Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke’s Catholic School at 2850 Price Road, Brownsville, TX 78521 in honor of Mary Ann Kuzmich or a charity of your choice.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com,