Dakota Rudy

With what would seem to be nearly his entire life before him, an uninvited guest took Dakota Douglas Rudy from those who loved him so dearly. In its wake, death has left a string of unanswered questions and hearts that will never be completely mended. It is hard to believe how deeply someone so young could impact the lives of those around him, but Dakota was blessed with that something special that drew others to him. He was 100 percent all boy all the time, always active and full of life. He was outgoing and social, even able to talk your ear off at times. Dakota was kind and sensitive, too, someone who made friends easily and always told the honest truth. A true gift to those around him, Dakota will be so deeply missed.

During a year in which the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded, the United States and Britain declared war on Iraq, and President George W. Bush signed a bill banning partial-birth abortion, 2003 was a year to remember in America. It was certainly a year to remember for the family of Jeremy and Shannon (Diehl) Rudy as they welcomed their son, Dakota Douglas, into their hearts on February 12th. Weighing in at a whopping nine pounds, thirteen ounces, Dakota was born in St. Johns, Michigan, as one of three children in his family. He was always a chubby baby and not surprisingly, a good eater who seemed to always be hungry. Dakota was a happy baby who was curious and into everything almost right from the start. He knew he was going places even from an early age as he came equipped with sheer determination that was unmatched. Dakota was always completely wild and kept his mother on her toes well before his first birthday as he started walking when he was only nine months old.

It wasn’t long before Dakota’s natural curiosity morphed into a full-blown mischievous side that remained with him throughout the following years. By the time he was one-and-a-half, Dakota had climbed to the top of the family’s entertainment center, seemingly unafraid of anything. At the age of two, he tried to make his mother her morning cup of coffee by pouring coffee and creamer down the heating duct. It was almost hard to be angry as his heart was genuine, and he was so very proud of “making coffee!” No matter what he was doing, Dakota’s heart was always in the right place as he was outgoing and talkative, caring and willing to share his toys.

Dakota attended Fulton Elementary School and by the time he got to first grade, he seemed to have the world by the tail. It was no surprise to his parents that he got in trouble for talking too much as a first grader or than he thought it was a good idea to poke holes in the school bus seat. Dakota’s mother was a firm believer in consequences, however, and she saw to it that he wrote a letter of apology to the bus driver. This wasn’t really too difficult for Dakota though since he was always very honest and never had any trouble owning up to his offenses no matter what he did. He enjoyed school, mainly for the social part, but Dakota also liked to help the teacher. Although the majority of his life was spent bustling with activity, Dakota did enjoy reading or perhaps settling down to watch some of his favorite shows, iCarly, SpongeBob SquarePants, or professional wrestling.

There were so many things that Dakota packed into his short life. He loved riding his quad, which started when he was just two years old. He actually fell asleep while riding but as soon as the motor quit, Dakota would be startled awake and start going again, only to fall asleep again. He loved being outside and was a very strong and athletic kid at an early age. Dakota played baseball and enjoyed wrestling, too. Just this past July, the family took a trip to see the monster trucks at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant where Dakota was in all his glory. He also loved going to the mud bog races as he loved cars, trucks, and quads – or anything with a motor for that matter.

So much of what Dakota loved centered on others. He loved his brother and sister, but of course they had their typical sibling arguments, too. One of his favorite places to go was to garage sales once he figured out that he could negotiate a better price by being cute and charming! Many special times were shared by the family pond and creek behind the house. Dakota loved fishing there, and he liked trying to catch frogs, too.

There are times when life is so hard and that path before us seems unclear and as those who loved Dakota Rudy say goodbye, they wonder if they will ever smile again. But Dakota was so full of life and so full of love that one can’t help but smile when they think of him. He made friends easily and was generous and loving, too. Dakota loved anything with a motor and was good at imitating the sounds they made, and he was always up for a lively game of Wii bowling with anyone who would accept the challenge. Those who knew and loved Dakota will never be the same for having loved such an extraordinary young boy, their lives enriched beyond measure. His absence will be keenly felt by all those within his reach.

Dakota Douglas Rudy died on August 24, 2010. Dakota’s family includes his parents, Jeremy and Shannon Rudy, sister, Jennifer and brother, Tristan; grandparents, David and Georgia Diehl, Mark and Ellen Rudy; great-grandparents, Alberta Diehl, Joan Walker, Nancy Rudy, Marlene Thompson, Walter Thompson and Jane Jolly; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Dakota was preceded in death by his grandfather, Douglas Cardy and grandmother, Marie Thompson. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 30, 2010, at the Osgood Funeral Home of St. Johns, with Pastor Jerry Kissling officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make memorial donation to the Gift of Life.