Rudolf Faiss

Rudolf (Rudi) Faiss, 81, died April 17, 2013 with family by his side.

Rudi was born in Chicago to German immigrant parents, Rudolf and Helen Faiss. He earned a BS dual degree in mathematics and engineering from the University of Illinois in 1953. He was a member of the Illinois Baptist Student Foundation where he met and married his wife, Barbara. He was inducted into the U.S. Army serving at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, where he also served for a short period of time in the Civil Service.

He returned to the University of Illinois to earn a MS degree in physics, and then taught Physics as an Assistant Professor at Carrol College in Waukesha, Wis. In 1961, they moved to Akron to work for Goodyear Aerospace (now Lockheed Martin). Rudi's tireless work ethic and talent soon earned him a Principle Engineer position. Within the secretive Defense community, he was renowned for his signal and image processing expertise. Patent and trade secrets include submarine detection, aircraft tracking, fingerprint identification, cancer cell detection, and satellite imagery analysis. His coworkers respected not only his intellect, but also his kindness and humanity. He retired in 2006 after 45 years of service.

He had a love of life and discovery. He toured this country and Canada looking for the best sports fishing or wild and beautiful places, testing the bounds of where he could take his family and car. He was a loving father and husband. He cared deeply for his fellow man, and most important, he cared for the “least amongst us”. He was a Good Samaritan, and never failed to aid anyone in need. He took the time to talk to people and understand them and gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. He will be so very much missed.

Preceded in death by daughters-in-law, Ruth Faiss and Sandy Faiss, he is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Larry and Glen Faiss; daughter, Lisa Faiss; and grandchildren, Kyle and Vanessa Faiss, Sara Ashley, Jason Stevenson, and Ginelle Gorbea. Memorial Service will be held Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m., followed by memorial fellowship until 4 p.m., at Hopkins Lawver Funeral Home, 547 Canton Road, Akron, Ohio 44312. In lieu of flowers, donations be can made to the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank. (