Rudolph “Rudy” Estess Jr.
Rudolph “Rudy” Estess Jr. reached the end of his wonderful life on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at the age of 73. He grew up in Bossier City, Louisiana where he graduated from Airline High School. Notably, he was Mr. Airline High School.
Rudy had a stellar athletic career as a running back and was at one time the leading scorer in the state of Louisiana. He was penned by sportswriter Jerry Byrd of The Shreveport Times as the Delta Jet, “Rudy could stop on a dime and give nine cents change.” In his senior 1965 football season, the only game the Airline Vikings lost was to the Woodlawn Knights where Terry Bradshaw was able to rally his team to beat the Vikings 21-20.
Although rivals, Rudy and Terry went on to become roommates at Louisiana Tech University where he attended on a football scholarship. A member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Rudy met his future wife, Luanne Sibley of Baton Rouge. They married in 1968 and were blessed with three children: Ellen, Kim, and Aimee.
In 1978, Rudy graduated with a JD from the Mississippi College School of Law. While in law school, he clerked for Wells, Gerald, Brand, Waters, and Cox of Jackson, Mississippi before joining International Minerals and Chemicals company. Rudy spent most of his career in the in Oil and Gas industry. He eventually resided in Lafayette, Louisiana where he worked for American Quasar Petroleum Company.
After the oil bust in the late 80’s, he practiced law with the Jimmy R. Major Law Firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Rudy was a member of the American Association of Professional Landmen, the Lafayette Association of Petroleum Landmen, and the Louisiana Bar Association. He truly enjoyed being a champion for people in all playing fields of his career whether it be the oil industry or legal practice.
Rudy lived life to the fullest and loved to have a good time. He rode Harleys and enjoyed several cross-country trips with dear friends. He was an avid sports fan, always cheering for the underdog. He was a captivating storyteller, joker, game player (especially roulette), and trivia-lover. His gift was that he was imperfect and fantastic all at the same time.
A social man, Rudy thrived on engaging with people, asking about where they were from and finding out what made them special. He was quick to make meaningful connections and had so many friends that in his heart he loved like family. No matter where you were in the country, you could probably run into someone who knew Rudy.
Recently, Rudy had moved from Baton Rouge to Biloxi, Mississippi to be closer to family. He adapted quickly to the laidback beach life and consumed everything he could learn about the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He loved cruising up and down the beach and exploring all the small towns along the Coast.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Biloxi and loved his Bible study with his newfound friends. His pride and joy were his six grandchildren that he enjoyed boasting about how smart, accomplished, and talented they all were. Anyone that knew Rudy knew that he felt these last few years, being around all of his family, were the best and happiest years of his life—certainly a life worth living.
Rudy is survived by his sister Priscilla (Gaylon) Daigle of Bossier City; brother Steve (Vicki) Estess of Bossier City; daughter Ellen (Tony) Cvitanovich of Biloxi, Mississippi; daughter Kim Estess of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter Aimee (Logan) Hulett of The Woodlands, Texas; six grandchildren: Mary Beth Cvitanovich, Emily Cvitanovich, Justin Hulett, Elle Hulett, Brody Hulett, and Linden Hulett; and many loving relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Estess; father, Rudolph Estess, Sr.; and mother, Vera Estess.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, September 4th at Olde Oaks Golf Club, at 60 Golf Club Dr, Haughton, LA at 1:00 p.m.
Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation at www.rettsyndrome.org in honor of his granddaughter Mary Beth, or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 3 International Drive, Suite 200, Rye Brook, NY 10573 in honor of his daughter Aimee and mother Vera.
