GLORIA DIANE RUDNICK
March 13, 1930 – November 5, 2021
Gloria Diane Rudnick died in Reno, Nevada on November 5, 2021 after a sudden non-Covid related illness.
Diane was born in Bakersfield's San Joaquin Hospital on March 13, 1930, the only child of Theresa Lee Brown Stotts and Ralph Stotts.
Among her fondest memories was growing up on the St. Helens Company oil lease and attending Aztec Elementary School. Diane graduated from Kern County Union High School in 1947. She attended Lufkin Business College and then worked as a secretary for Standard Oil Company.
In high school she met her life-long friend, Mimi Rudnick Stull, who introduced her to her brother Milton. They married in 1951 at a new resort in the Nevada desert built by Bugsy Siegal called “The Flamingo.”
In 1960 Diane gave birth to Melanie Ruth, and in 1964 Melissa Jean joined the family.
When Milton's business grew to encompass a meat boning plant, they moved to Stockton, California for 15 years. They bought a tiny condominium in Squaw Valley where they spent weekends skiing as a family.
In 1973 Milton and Diane purchased the Tollhouse Ranch in Caliente, California and the family moved back to Kern County where they lived and worked until Milton died in 2015.
Together they lived a life of livestock, ranching, and hard work, while driving around the western United States doing business with the characters who made a life off the land.
Diane carved out a unique niche of grace and beauty, art, and literature. A voracious reader, she had a book for every reason and occasion. Her home and life were a blend of ranching grit, elegance, and great cooking. Her hospitality to everyone was genuine and overflowing.
A happy day for Diane was being with Milton and Pansy the Boston Terrier (who thought she was a cattle dog) driving around the ranch in a pickup, stopping for a sardine and saltine cracker lunch while surveying the land.
In 2016, Diane moved to a Del Webb community in Reno, Nevada to live near her daughters and start a new life. She loved living in her “cottage” overlooking the Nevada landscape. She was part of the Investment group where she was the cattle business expert and did weekly Tai Chi. Joining the Memoir Writing Group, she wrote her book, “My Memories of Milton.”
Diane role-modeled growing old with grace and beauty. She had a personal style all her own, elegant no matter what the occasion. Her knowing blue eyes missed nothing.
Diane's favorite question was, “Where are you from?” Her favorite quote was from Bertrand Russell, “Most people would rather die than think.”
Diane is survived by her daughter Melanie Ruth Rudnick, her daughter Melissa Rudnick Faye and husband Eric Faye, her grandsons Ethan Rudnick Faye and Ryan Rudnick Faye, and her “adopted” Swedish daughter Katarina Mohlin. She was predeceased by her parents and her beloved husband.
Instead of flowers and gifts, please consider a donation to Temple Beth El, Bakersfield, California (2906 Loma Linda Dr. Bakersfield, CA 93305).