William Lewis Rudolph

1919 - 2014

William Lewis Rudolph

Nashville, TN

William Lewis Rudolph (Lewis), dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, family leader and friend, died Sunday, December 28, 2014. He was 95 years old.

Born in Marshall County, KY on December 6, 1919, Lewis lived there his first 15 years and helped on his dad's farm. He also worked at a general store his dad owned until the depression forced it's closure in his early teens. Lewis's father purchased a Doughnut shop in Nashville and the entire family moved there. They opened their first Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop in the mid 1930s on Charlotte Pike in West Nashville. Lewis worked with his dad, two brothers, a sister and other family members in this start-up business. In 1937, he married Jeanne Marie Fisher of Nashville.

Lewis was one of the co-founders of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. from the 1930s until after World War II, several friends and relatives opened Krispy Kreme stores around the southeast. In 1946, Lewis and his older brother, decided to form the Krispy Kreme Corp. and centrally locate it in Winston Salem, NC. At that time all the doughnut ships in the organization became corporate or franchise stores. In Winston-Salem, the corporate offices, a mix blending plants and a machine shop occupied the same new facility to service the plants and shops.

In 1959 Lewis decided to move back to Nashville so he traded a portion of his Krispy Kreme holdings for the Nashville Doughnut stores. He continued with this until the Krispy Kreme Stores were sold back to Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. in 1983. During his time back in Nashville a frozen doughnut was developed. A new plant was then built n Armory Dr. where doughnuts were manufactured, fast frozen and shipped across the country. The frozen plant was purchased by Rich Products of Buffalo, NY in 1984.

Lewis is preceded in death by his father, Plumy Harris Rudolph; mother, Retha Nemo Rudolph; brothers, Vernon Rudolph, Ernest Rudolph; sister, Mildred Wooton and grandchild, Steven Lewis Rudolph.

Lewis is survived by his wife of 76 years, Jeanne Fisher Rudolph; children, Bill Rudolph and wife, Lucy Teague Rudolph, Joyce Cope and husband, Donald Harlan Cope, Randy Rudolph, Retha Fletcher Church, and husband Bobby Ray Church; grandchildren, Lisa Rudolph Turner, Alan Rudolph, Tommy Bumpous, Charity Cope Espanosa, Chris Cope, Courtney Rudolph, Wilson Reagan, Rudolph Miller, Ryan Rudolph, Patrick Rudolph, Andrew Fletcher, Katie Fletcher Belvin; 22 great grandchildren; 1 great great grand child.

Pallbearers will be grandchildren, Alan Rudolph, Tommy Bumpous, Chris Cope, Ryan Rudolph, Patrick Rudolph, and Andrew Fletcher. Honorary Pallbearers are great grandchildren, Stephen Turner, Mitchell, Turner, Davis Rudolph, Blake Bumpous, Kyle Bumpous.

Harpeth Hills Funeral Home www.harpethhills.com 615-646-9292