Rudolph Rudy Tafoya

Rudolph Tafoya was born in Trinidad Colorado on May 17, 1920. He was the fourth son of Jose E. Tafoya and his young wife Rachael. There were many more children to follow and the "depression years" had Rudy dropping out of school in eighth grade to go to work to help his father feed his family. He later worked in the "CC Camps" until the war started when he was inducted into the US Army joining his three other brothers. He was sent to training to prepare for the invasion of Europe in a machine gun unit with the 90th Infantry "Tough 'Ombres" Texas Oklahoma Division. Fighting under General Patton he made the invasion of Normandy at Utah Beach where he aided in the liberation of France, Germany, Battle of the Bulge at Luxembourg and ended the war in Czechoslovakia. He earned five battle stars, two Purple Hearts along with other service medals and a Bronze Star with Valor for saving a platoon pinned down along a river under heavy machine gun fire. Returning home, he always had stories of the war friendships he had made but very rarely spoke of the horrors of the war. Back in Trinidad he went to college and became a certified mechanic and worked as a coal miner to support his young wife Mae and their three sons. He moved to Florida with two of his brothers in 1958 where he completed a career as a mail carrier with the USPS in Pompano Beach. Rudy retired in 1984 and enjoyed watching his family grow while enjoying the outdoor lifestyle of South Florida. Rudy was always quick with a smile and a helping hand and had many friends. He loved his family and did everything to better the boys. He enjoyed fishing with his kids and working on old cars. Rudy never sat still. Sadly Rudy broke his hip at age 91 and was unable to recover. He died Wednesday February 15th at home with his family present under the care of Hospice of Palm Beach County. Rudy is survived by his loving wife Mae Alice, "Ally Mae" as he called her, his brother Ben, sister Irene, his three sons Jimmy, Perry and Jackie Tafoya, their wives, six grand children and four great grand children and many other step siblings, cousins and relations. Rudy will be greatly missed and always loved and remembered!

Viewing and visitation will be held Sunday February 19, 2012 from 2pm to 5pm at Riverside Gordon Memorial Chapel, 7205 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33446

Burial service on Monday February 20, 2012 at 9:45am at South Florida VA National Cemetery, 6501 South State Road 7, Lake Worth, Florida