12/22/31 – 2/1/25  93 years

Rudolph Theodore Allemann passed away February 1, 2025, in Richland, surrounded by his family. Rudy was a Renaissance Man who seemed like the one who would live forever. Rudy was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 22, 1931, to Gertrude Braun “Muetti” Allemann and Werner Theodore Allemann, immigrants from Switzerland. Rudy was the middle child, with Ruth, his elder sister and Robert his little brother completing the family of five. The Allemanns moved to Salt Lake City and later to Berkeley, California where he graduated as an honor student and Eagle Scout from Berkeley High School. Rudy received his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1954. At Cal, Rudy joined the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). The story goes that the summer after Rudy graduated from high school, he hitchhiked to Alaska where he could earn more money to pay for college. He found a job on a survey crew and worked close to the start of classes; by the time he returned, all the opening for the Air Force ROTC (his first choice) were taken.

After graduation, he accepted a position with General Electric in Richland/Hanford, but before beginning, he served as Lieutenant stationed in West Germany. Post was service allowed for many fun weekends and social events. He has the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and meet Swiss relatives, and even Sonja Henie!

On return from Germany, Rudy settled in Richland where he began working for GE. The income and location allowed him to enjoy outdoor pursuits and his love for flying. He met Mary Ann Rands at a Desert Ski Club party and that was it, as they say! While Mary Ann went to teach in Germany the next year, they corresponded, and on return to Richland, they were married on December 29, 1960. In quick succession, they welcomed Bill, Susan, and Ginny. In 1967, they moved into their home on 2219 Enterprise Drive where they lived happily for 57 years, hosting many loud bridge parties and annual gatherings.

Rudy received his MS from University of Idaho in 1960 and his PhD in Chemical Engineering from University of Washington in 1970, all while working for General Electric and then for Battelle PNNL, raising a family, and doing the many things he loved to do. At GE, an early focus was calcination processing of waste material; he designed the remotely operated calcining unit in 325A. He was invited to present findings at the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1963 in Vienna. Later at Battelle in the early 1980’s he was the technical lead on evaluating data from the dry cooling plant at Bakersfield, CA. Rudy managed a number of high visibility projects related to aerosol dispersion and at the end of his career, as project manager, came up with the “gob theory” related to the infamous “burping” tanks as SY-101.

Rudy was in love with flying from early childhood and he and Mary Ann spent most of their vacations traveling to western sites such as Minden, Marfa, and the Alvord Desert to fly gliders. Mary Ann held down the ground crew of three young children while driving around desert landscapes of the western US to “retrieve” Seven Yankee (7Y) if he landed in a farmer’s field. Rudy was a champion pilot, achieving the Diamond Badge #19 in 1962 and winning the 1971 Standard Class National Soaring Championships in Ephrata, WA. He was selected to compete in the 1970 World Soaring Championships and in the 1976 Smirnoff Sailplane Derby, the world’s longest glider contest from Los Angeles to Washington DC. In his signature white shirt, khaki pants and white cap, 7Y’s style could not be mistaken!

Rudy began ski mountaineering in the 1940’s in the Sierra Nevada and climbed many a summit in the North Cascades, as well as all the Washington volcanoes with long-time climbing buddies. Rudy’s love for the mountains was shared with his family, friends, and especially his children in backpacking trips specifically selected for their kid-friendliness. Rudy served as BSA Troop 200 leader for several years, encouraging a generation of young scouts.

A week a year was saved for family ski trips to Mt. Bachelor to enjoy tree skiing with light snow and good friends. Into his nineties Rudy was seeking out the powder at Mission and White Pass, proudly wearing his “90+ Ski Club” badge. He flew into his late 80’s, towing the trailer out to Richland Airport to assemble and self-launch his DG-400. As an active member of the Fun, Fit & Over-Fifty Club and his hiking group, Rudy enjoyed many new friends and survived not a few adventures!

In retirement, Rudy found a new passion… golf? A fixture at both Horn Rapids and Buckskin, he was one of the first group out and sometimes the only person to play that day. The game kind of summed him up. The competitive angle, the science and physics of the game, the physical/athletic part– he was outside with friends, and he got to tinker with his clubs and golf cart. He shot his age many times- had to do! He started at 62 and played for 30 years!

A devoted father and grandfather, Rudy spent a great deal of time with his children and grandchildren, making every effort to inspire and entertain them- and teach them a little math! In his kind, bemused, and patient manner, Rudy arranged for them to be successful in projects that he knew would interest them. Stuff many might call trash became the material for a child’s invention. A curious tinkerer, Rudy spent years battling the infamous “puncture weeds” of Richland. Rudy read widely and shared and borrowed many books. He tried every sport, and most hobbies you can think of including sewing, canoeing, sail boating, and fixing stuff. A lover of classical music as well as swing and The Carpenters, he enjoyed dancing, singing, and movies, always movies. He made a point of taking his children to films he found special, once driving all the way to Spokane to have his children see fantasia.

Rudy was preceded in death by his parents and by siblings Ruth Hess and Robert Allemann. Rudy was survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Mary Ann Allemann by only three days. He is also survived by his children William Allemann (Julie), Susan Allemann (Dave Messner), and Ginny Allemann (Jerry Howe) as well as grandchildren Wyatt, Catherine, Molly, Emily, Libby, Charlie and Josie, sister-in-law Sharon Allemann, nieces and nephews, and many friends and colleagues. Please join us in celebrating the lives of Rudy and Mary Ann on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 10:30 AM at Events at Sunset Gardens in Richland. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity of your choice.