Rodolfo Rubio

Rodolfo (Rudy) Rubio October 8, 1944 - November 6, 2010 Rudy Rubio, proud resident of Rough and Ready, died peacefully at home on Saturday morning, November 6. He was born to Maria Romero and Jose B. Rubio in El Paso, Texas, the youngest of eight children. After a challenging adolescence, Rudy earned his G.E.D. and then attended West Valley Community College where he was inspired by teachers and founded an ex-offender program. He earned a scholarship to U.C. Berkeley, from which he graduated with honors. He later earned a Master's Degree is Social Work from California State University at Sacramento. He worked as a painter, an employment counselor, helped form a food cooperative, served as Executive Director of Volunteers in Parole, which matches mentor attorneys with parolees to help prevent re-offending, and worked many years in the Conditional Release Program monitoring and counseling mentally ill felons to assist in their reintegration into the community. He is survived by his brother, Sabino, of Oxnard, and his sisters, Martha Garcia of Chula Vista, Soledad Castro of Tacoma, Washington and Maria Elena Alonso, of Browns Mill, New Jersey. Preceding him were his brothers, Soledad, Roberto and Ruperto. His immediately family includes his wife and companion of 32 years, Cindy Parker, and his four children: Ben of San Francisco, Neomi of El Cajon, Nacho of El Cajon and Sabino of LaMesa, six grandchildren, 1 great- grandchild and many nieces and nephews. Rudy loved reading, discussing philosophy and theology, gardening, cooking and eating. He gradually collected a menagerie of farm animals as pets. Many people will remember Rudy's sense of humor, his ability to find something in common with anyone, and his gift for living life to the fullest. In 2005, he was diagnosed with a rare Parkinsonian-like disorder, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, which he battled for five years with tenacity and dignity. A memorial gathering will be held in the Spring. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Foothills, 11270 Rough and Ready Highway, Grass Valley, CA 95945 or Cure PSP at www.curepsp.org. Send Condolences to www.appealdemocrat.com