VALDA HAVERLAH RUDOLPH

A native of Atascosa County, Valda Haverlah Rudolph, age 97 passed away December 22,2025, in New Braunfels, TX, where she lived the past eight years.  The youngest of Ernest and Ida Kellner Haverlah's four children, Valda grew up on the family farm in Fashing, TX, where she learned to work hard doing both outside and inside farm-family chores.

After completing the 10th grade in the Fashing school, she devoted all her time to helping her ailing dad on the farm.  Well, not all her time—some time was spent socially with a school friend, Alfred Rudolph, whom she married on December 22, 1946.  Their married life began on the Haverlah farm and produced two daughters, Lanelle in 1953 and Loretta in 1961.

In 1962, the famly, including Valda's mom, moved to Pleasanton to be more centrally located for Alfred's USDA work throughout the entire county. Although off the farm, Valda continued in the homemaking traditions of her rural, German family—gardening, canning, freezing, baking, cooking, sewing, volunteering, and rearing her family in the Lutheran faith.

Although Valda was not a "public" speaker, she loved being in the "public" participating in church and school activities, 42 domino games, and gatherings with family and friends.  In her last years living at EdenHill Communities in New Braunfels she interacted with anyone and everyone and was loved by all for her joking and teasing, quick wit, and pleasant, loving, gentle soul. Her comments could be in English, German, or Spanish…whichever language she thought you might understand!

Preceding her into death are her parents, siblings Erna Weigang, Stella Hasert Shelton, and Harry Haverlah, husband Alfred C. Rudolph, and daughter Loretta Rutherford.  Surviving to cherish her memory are her daughter Lanelle Rudolph, sons-in-law Richard Albon and Ross Rutherford, grandchildren Kyle and Anne Rutherford and Lauren and Curtis Reed, and great-granddaughter Eleanor Ann Rutherford.

Services for Mrs. Rudolph will be Friday, December 26, at St. John Lutheran Church, Jourdanton, Texas.  Visitation begins at noon with the service beginning at 1:00pm. Immediately following the service, burial will be at the Jourdanton City Cemetery. Family and friends will return to the church's fellowship hall for refreshments.

The family expresses its deepest, heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Jim Harris for the uplifting tribute and praise to God for the life of Valda Rudolph and to all her relatives and friends for the prayers and expressions of sympathy and support at the time of her passing.