Alvin Ernest Rudeen was born at home in Mankato, Kansas on August 17, 1938; the third child and the first boy. His family moved to Englewood, Colorado when he was in preschool because of his respiratory health.
Al grew up in the Denver area. His family was poor and he almost dropped out of high school when his father contracted a long term illness. He graduated in the spring of 1957 and enrolled in Central College, in McPherson, Kansas after hearing their choir sing at his church.
That fall, Al met Eleanor Brandt at Central. They started dating on the Choir tour, and he asked her to marry him just before Christmas, 1958. They were married on February 14, 1960.
They remained in McPherson, until both graduated with degrees in teaching. Their son, Rob, was born in October, 1962, and they moved to Salem, Oregon the summer of 1966 to work in Salem Public Schools. In 1971, Al was a nominee for Teacher of the Year in the Salem School district for his development of a remedial reading program. He stopped teaching in 1980 and pursued an associate degree in Electronics. He eventually founded a videography business and continued in this until retirement.
Al and Eleanor were very active in the Salem Free Methodist Church. He served as choir director, church board member and on the Building Committee. They remained active members until they returned to McPherson in the summer of 2013.
Eleanor passed away in 2014, and Al married Maryanne Green in 2015, who died in 2021.
Al is survived by his only child, Robert Rudeen, who lives in Monroe, Connecticut and three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, September 19, 2025, at Stockham Family Funeral Home. Inurnment will be in McPherson Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be given to Central Christian College in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 N. Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.
Personal condolences may be sent to the family at www.stockhamfamily.com.