It was a life well spent, and well-lived. Rudy was an ambitious and hardworking man and these traits bared visible fruits that could be measured by his career advancement and his accomplishments. He truly excelled for a boy who came with such humble beginnings and many burdens to carry. He never retired, and he enjoyed working to the very end. My Dad was a devoted Husband and Father and he worked hard to provide a better life for his family. He provided us with good homes, in nice neighborhoods, like Havre de Grace. We had meals in our stomachs every day and clothes to wear. And as we got older, he provided us cars to drive and helped each one of his children graduate from college. Rudy was a craftsman with a knack for home improvement projects. With his big strong hands, he took the time to do work on his homes, including crown molding, hardwood floors, and tiling projects that will last forever. Rudy spent hours after work and on weekends, driven and a perfectionist at his craft and his project were top notch. It was a natural for him. He once built a two-car garage from the ground up with his own hammer & saw. I can still see him admiring his work. Saying I love you wasn’t easy for a man like Rudy. He was old school, strong, and sometimes stern, but you could always see his love glistening in his blue eye when his heart was touched. When I told my fiancé my dad is a "bear", she reminded me, "a teddy bear". Rudy was also a disciplinarian with a soft heart to his own children as well as all the young people you worked for him as the proud owner of Rita's Italian Ice Cream. He was a teacher of sort in many ways. He left lessons for all of us. Even throughout my father's sickness, he showed his family courage, honor and grace. He taught us how to live gratefully, passionately, and how to die with dignity. Rudy enjoyed being a well-dressed man. He had his own personal style. He proudly wore several stylish hats of the day and even owned a tuxedo for big occasions. He was also a righteous man. He knew right from wrong, and stated it always with conviction. You always knew where he stood, he did not waiver and whether you liked it or not. Although he never served in the Armed Forces, Rudy was very patriotic and loved his country. So I wasn't surprised that at his request, in lieu of flowers for his memorial service, he asked for donations to go The Wounded Warrior. My dad had a hearty laugh and good sense of humor, even if his timing was sometimes off, or his jokes just a little too tawdry for Millie to truly enjoy. Although it may be an un-written biography, Rudy also had a great memory and good stories to tell. I will always remember enjoying a few smokes with him and listening to his stories. He remembered everything so clearly. I hope you also had the opportunity to enjoy his stories, and will remember them, as you remember him. Rudy was a spiritual man. He was Baptized and Confirmed a Catholic, as were all his children whom he put into Catholic schools. He slept under a picture of Leonardo da Vinci’s hand of God. He truly believed in God and is bound for heaven. And he deserves it. I hope you too all had a chance to know and love Rudy, my Dad. Rudy died at 78 years old, and lived almost 29,000 days. In his honor, and all our loved ones whom have passed before us, let’s make each day count. God Bless Rudy Dabran.