Rudy Abeyta

Rudy Abeyta, Sr. ascended to heaven on November 27, 2023. Born in Embudo, NM Rudy grew up in a large family with 12 brothers and sisters. He married Alice Gurule and moved to Los Alamos in 1969. Rudy worked at the Los Alamos Medical Center, and later moved on to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory until retiring from his extensive service at TA-55/PF-4 in 2006. No matter what state or city he traveled to, Rudy ran into friends and coworkers from throughout his career. Everyone knew they could trust Rudy to know how to fix anything and everything at the Plutonium Facility, he was a very reliable asset to the Laboratory and its mission for nuclear safety.

Once retired, Rudy and Alice became world travelers visiting Italy, Germany, Switzerland, the Panama Canal, Alaska, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Canada and Mexico. They also enjoyed going on Cruises with friends visiting various ports along the way. Rudy was very adventurous- from riding his Harley to hunting deer with his son and grandsons in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He had a love for the outdoors and loved to take his family camping. He was an avid fisherman. Rudy had a special love of eagles, especially Bald Eagles- not to mention the model of his 2003 Harley Road King… The Screamin’ Eagle!

Rudy and Alice went on a mission’s trip to Mexico with Pastor’s Bobbi & Jerry Gross from the Word of Life Christian Church, helping local families of a small village and visiting several others. They held church services and witnessed to the people of the villages about the healing and teachings of the Lord Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Back home in White Rock, Rudy was a skilled “green thumb”, growing anything and everything, always perfecting his flower and vegetable gardens and keeping a pristine lawn in the front and back of his immaculately kept home.

Even with this busy schedule, Rudy loved to help friends and neighbors with any and all home repairs and home improvement projects, and he helped ease the minds of widows in White Rock & Los Alamos by being fair, honest and hardworking. He even helped his family in Arizona with numerous large and small home repairs and maintenance projects. It was not uncommon for Rudy to be approached by neighbors inquiring about hiring him for projects at their homes as they admired his quality of work and dedication to doing everything just right. He would have had a loyal following of homeowners in the north Phoenix neighborhoods.

In recent years, besides riding his Harley to car shows, where his son Rudy, Jr. was busy winning awards and trophies for First Place, Rudy Sr. became the proud owner of a 1949 Chevy 2-Door Coupe he referred to as “The Oldie”. Entering show competitions alongside his son, they both placed in the top rankings or won First Place at hotrod and classic/vintage car shows.

Rudy Eloy Abeyta, Sr. lived a very prosperous and beautiful life, raising a loving family: Lanora and Rudy, Jr.; their 8 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

The day Rudy ascended above the eagles he so admired, this world lost a caring and generous man, but heaven gained a bright and beautiful soul. He will be dearly missed, but his family is comforted knowing that they will rejoin with him in Heaven in the midst of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A graveside service will be held at Guaje Pines Cemetery in Los Alamos on December 28, 2023 at noon.

Please share stories, pictures, and condolences here with Alice, Lanora, and Rudy, Jr. as well as all of Rudy’s friends and family to cherish.