Philip RUDY

September 30, 1945 - March 17, 2025

Philip Lawrence "Larry" Rudy, beloved son, husband, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away on March 17, 2025. He was 79 years old.

Larry was born on September 30, 1945, to Ruby (Langberg) and Peter B. Rudy. He grew up in Spokane Valley, where he learned the value of hard work and responsibility from an early age. A memorable family trip highlighted Larry's entrepreneurial spirit, as he convinced his father to loan him money to purchase a toy gun set, promising to repay the loan. When they returned home and the toy had broken, Larry honored his word and repaid the loan, keeping the broken gun as a reminder of the lesson.

Larry worked a variety of summer jobs throughout his youth, including construction, bucking bales, and driving a moving van for North American Van Lines. His exceptional packing skills became a lifelong asset to his family and friends.

He attended Spokane Junior Academy and Upper Columbia Academy before graduating from Walla Walla University. Larry later attended Loma Linda University in California, where he earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery. It was there that he met and married Carol Mead, his devoted wife of 55 years. Together, they returned to Spokane, where Larry built a successful career as a general dentist, practicing for 43 years, many of those years in the office he personally designed and built on the corner of Mullen, Broadway, and Argonne.

Outside of dentistry, Larry's interests were diverse and numerous. He designed construction plans for office buildings and homes, enjoying working with his hands and taking on projects that allowed him to fix nearly anything. His hobbies included restoring old cars and model railroading, and he became an active member of the Spokane Valley business community. He played a key role in local issues, including sewering the Valley and the waste-to-energy project, and served as a Board Member and Chair of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, where he famously quipped, "after sewage and garbage, it couldn't get much worse!"

Larry's leadership extended beyond his profession. He served in numerous leadership positions within his church, community, homeowners association, and many other organizations. His meticulous attention to detail, financial acumen, and skill in communication and construction benefited all those he worked with. Larry was known for his thorough research and thoughtful approach before making any recommendations.

Above all, Larry was known for his wonderful sense of humor. He loved telling jokes and had a unique talent for sneaking them into conversations, with his delivery being just as important as the punchline.

In his later years, Larry took up tap dancing, performing in a recital at the Fox Theater at the age of 60 alongside six beautiful women.

Larry was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Ruby Rudy; and his beloved sister, Carol Zirkle. He is survived by his wife, Carol; nieces, Karen Zirkle and Ali Miguel; nephews, Tom and Jonathan Zirkle, and Chris Mead; brother and sister-in-law, Ron and Susan Mead; as well as several great-nieces and nephews and one great-grandniece.

A Memorial Service will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Larry's memory may be made to Palisades Christian Academy: https://www.pcasda.org/.