Rodolfo "Rudy" Anez Soto

Rodolfo “Rudy” Anez Soto went to be with the Lord on July 28, 2021. He was born on September 15, 1943 in Rancho Amarillo, near San Benito, Texas to Placido and Beatrice Soto. Rudy graduated from San Benito High School in 1963. After graduation, he obtained an Air Conditioning Mechanic Certificate before entering the HVAC industry. He dedicated 23 years to the industry, beginning with Coastal Engineering, where he worked from 1965 until 1976 and Lennox from 1976 until 1988. Rudy then became the Operations Manager for Fruit of The Loom in 1988. He was the first to arrive in the morning and was always the last to leave. His dedication and work ethic carried him through the closing of the plant and into his future endeavors. Rudy went to college to pursue a certificate in Building Construction and graduated from TSTC in 2005 where he made the Dean’s List.  He was passionate about showing his grandchildren that anything is achievable with the right work ethic.

Rudy loved to spend time with his family and friends every chance he got. You could find him sitting on his chair, finishing crossword puzzles, or watching Spanish-language novelas in his spare time. Rudy always put his family first and would find happiness and joy in cooking. His family would look forward to his dinner during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

He loved to watch his grandchildren flourish and always supported them in their accomplishments. He never missed a softball game, even if it was 1,000 miles away, and was present at every San Benito Greyhound football game. He was the true definition of “Purple and Gold Shall Always Be”. You could find him at every band concert, award ceremony, and sport event. He loved his family game nights, where he was always the most competitive, but would let his grandchildren win from time to time. From the halls of SBHS, to holding court every Thursday morning for breakfast, you could find Rudy laughing with his best friends, reminiscing on all their great memories from a lifetime of fellowship.

Rudy is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Herlinda Soto; his three children, Rudy Jr., Gabriel (Delia) Soto, and Beatrice (Albert) Escobedo; grandchildren, Megan (Jacob) Garcia, Mariah Escobedo, Michael Escobedo and Audrey Soto.  He is also survived by his brother, Abel (Enedina) Soto, sister, Rachel (Eliseo) Villarreal, and numerous nieces and nephews who adored him

He is preceded in death by his father, Placido Soto, mother, Beatrice Anez Soto, brother, Adan Soto and sisters Victoria Anez and Otila Martinez.

Rudy will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy and will always be cherished in our hearts.

Visitation will take place Friday, July 30, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. A recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin Friday evening at 7 o’clock. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at 1:00pm at St. Theresa Catholic Church. Following the Mass, Rudy will be laid to rest at Mont Meta Memorial Park.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Rudy Soto Jr., Gabriel Soto, Albert Escobedo, Chris Cantu, Ronnie Rodriguez, and Michael Martinez.

Honorary pallbearers are Jacob Garcia, Luis Benavides, Eloy Rodriguez, Henry Jimenez, Virgil Garcia and Luis Corpus.