Rudolf "Rudi" Bisenz

Rudolf Bisenz passed away peacefully on June 19, 2010 at the
age of 96.
Rudolf or "Rudi," as he was most commonly known, was born on
August 13, 1913 in Salzburg, Austria and spent his childhood in
Vienna with his loving parents, Hedwig and David Bisenz. Rudi left
his native land in 1932 to emigrate to Palestine, where he was
employed by the newly built King David Hotel in Jerusalem. He was
an avid tennis and soccer player. He took the social scene by
storm with his participation as saxophone player in a three piece
band and as a skillful dancer.

Rudi married Susi, another ex-pat from Austria, and the newly
weds were able to arrange passage to the United States, where they
joined family in Charleston, South Carolina. Soon after the birth
of their only child, Eve, in 1948, they moved to New York City,
where Rudi started Parkdale, a very high quality dry cleaning
service. During its twenty-five years of operation, Parkdale also
became a community meeting place for many Forest Hills locals in
response to Rudi's warm, welcoming manner and sense of humor. After
his retirement, Rudi and Susi were able enjoy extensive traveling,
by air and sea, to a number of destinations, from China and Europe
to the Americas and the Panama Canal.

In 2002, Rudi became a widower when Susi unexpectedly
succumbed to liver damage associated with an illness she had
contracted as a teenager. Rudi elected to continue to stay in New
York City for as long as he was able, enjoying the companionship of
life long friends. For the last year and a half of his life, Rudi
lived in Bellevue, WA, close to his daughter and son-in-law.