Rudolph E. Kresh, Jr., 91, of Butler, passed away on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at home with family. Rudy was born July 15, 1930 in Bethlehem, PA, and raised in Nazareth, PA, the son of the late Rudolph E. Kresh, Sr. and Irene Mae (Lear) Treon.
He earned his own way through Moravian College, where he received a BS degree in business administration. He spent most of his career working for Burroughs Corp. in computer programming and systems analysis and design, including programmer management in the Pittsburgh and Trenton offices. He also worked for Lehigh Structural Steel Co. in Allentown, where he installed their first IBM system, and TRW-Fujitsu in Pittsburgh and Orlando, where he installed ATM systems on the eastern seaboard.
Rudy was a tireless volunteer for worthy causes. He was a member of St. Andrew Catholic Church in All Saints Parish, where he served as an usher, parish council member, and CYO leader. He was a Knight of Columbus, and enjoyed passing out tootsie rolls at Walmart to raise money benefiting St. Anthony School and McGuire Home. He was also a Boy Scout leader and midget football coach. He managed horse shows for both 4-H and the Butler County Saddle Club, the latter for the benefit of the Easter Seal Society, for which he earned the Brace for an Ace Award by increasing donations ten-fold. He was also a past-president of MORA Club, worked with Habitat for Humanity and served on the Board of Tanglewood Senior Center.
He enjoyed family, travel, Civil War history, auto racing, golf, sports, and was a regular fan at school and sporting events whenever his children, grandchildren, or other family members were participating.
Rudy is survived by his wife of 67 years, Anna (Tanczos) Kresh, whom he married on July 17, 1954 in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bath, PA; his children David (Cathi) Kresh of Washington, PA, Irene (Jack) Rosati of McDonald, PA, Daniel (Kim) Kresh of Butler, and Teresa (Roger) McDowell of Butler; grandchildren James Rosati, Christina McElhinny, Megan McDowell, Patrick Kresh, Carrie Porr, Eric Hansen, Jared Hoffman, and Carolyn Timko; and ten great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Leonard Kresh and grandson Jacob Kresh.
Family and friends will be received on Friday, September 24th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Thompson – Miller Funeral Home, Inc., 124 East North Street, Butler, PA 16001.
A Mass of Christian Burial from All Saints Parish will be on Saturday, September 25th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, 1660 N. Main Street Extension, Butler, PA 16001.
Burial will be at St. Michael Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Knights of Columbus Bishop’s Project at www.BishopsProjectKofC.org.
Website condolences may be made at www.thompson-miller.com.