Milton Rudnick

11/17/1927 - 02/04/2015

Milton Rudnick, age 87, died peacefully in his home with his wife, Diane, of 63 years and his daughters, Melanie and Melissa, by his side.
Milton was born 7th out of 11 children, on the front porch of his parents, Oscar and Libbie Rudnick's, home in Bakersfield, California.
Milton was a legendary livestock man, with an entrepreneur's heart and spirit. His working life started at the age of 4 or 5, herding sheep and cattle with a little cane. By the age of 13, he was on the road buying cattle.
After graduating from Kern County Union High School, he joined the United States Marines, where he became a rifle instructor and prison guard. After his honorable discharge from the service, he started working for his father and managed Rudnick Feedlot, Section 27, off of Panama Lane and South Gosford.
In 1950, Milton married Diane Stotts, and became the manager of Piute Packing Company. In 1960, Milton and Diane moved to Stockton, California, where Milton started a business called Rudnick and Silva, fabricating beef for the United States Armed Services. Milton was very proud that his beef fed our soldiers and was served to the men on the first submarine to go under the Polar Ice Cap. About the same time, Milton started a slaughter house operation, Rudnick Packing Company, in Turlock, California.
In 1973, Milton purchased the Tollhouse Ranch in Caliente, California, from Lyman "Boy" Williams. As a teenager, he worked cattle on the Tollhouse Ranch and told Boy, "If you ever sell this ranch, call me first," and he did. Milton purchased adjacent land to the Tollhouse Ranch called Bena Ranch, where he started a cattle growing yard; he used cull carrots for feed. He is part owner of two feedlots, Sundance Feedyard in Bakersfield, California, and Butterspur in Brawley, California.
Being in business for most of his life, Milton was most proud that he never missed payroll for his employees. He had long-standing business relationships with ranchers and livestock people in Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. Milton's 50-year business relationship with Monfort in Greeley, Colorado, spanned four generations for the Monfort family. Milton brought the first Brahma bull to Kern County and was a great advocate of crossbred cattle, as he recognized their vitality and health.
He had an incredible memory for details, great and small. He could remember people's parents and grandparents, sometimes great-grandparents. He could remember children's names, where people were from, and their stories. Milton's handshake and his word were his guarantee, and his loyalty, integrity, and ethics guided his life. There was no one like Milton; he was truly one-of-a-kind.
Milton is survived by his wife, Diane; daughter, Melanie Rudnick and her partner Greg Sabin; daughter, Melissa Rudnick Faye and husband Eric and their children: Ethan Rudnick Faye and Ryan Rudnick Faye; sisters: Miriam Rudnick Stull and Loretta Rudnick Howard; brothers: Philip Rudnick and Robert Rudnick.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Libbie Berman Rudnick; half sister, Rebecca Rudnick; sisters: Bertha Rudnick Sklar, Elynor Rudnick Faulk, Sylvia Rudnick Harmon, Florence Rudnick Styrt; and brothers: Marcus Rudnick and Sam Rudnick.
Milton was loved dearly and will be missed.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Temple Beth El, 2906 Loma Linda Drive, Bakersfield, California, 93305 (
www.templebethelbakersfield.org
).
Greenlawn Funeral Home Northeast