William Rudolph

Born in Marshall County, KY

Resided in Nashville, TN

William Lewis Rudolph (Lewis), dedicated husaband, father, grandfather, great grandfather family leader and friend, died Sunday, December 28, 2014. He was 95 years old.

Born in Marshall County, KY on December 6,1919, Lewis lived there his first 15 years and helped on his dad's farm. He also worked at a genral store his dad owned until the depression forced it closure.in his early teens, Lewis' father purchased a doughnut shop in Nashville and the entire family moved there. They opeded teir first Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop in the mid 1930s on Charlotte Pike in West Nashville. Lewis worked with his dad, two brothers, a sister and other family members in this startup business. In 1937, he married Jeanne Marie Fisher of Nashville.

Lewis was one of the cofounders of Krispy Kree Doughnut Corp. from the 1930s until after Word War 2, several friends and relatives opened Krispy Kreme stores around the southeast. In 1946, Lewis and his older brother, decided to form the Krispy Kreme corp. and centreally locate it in Winston Sale, NC. At that time all the doughnut ships in the organization became corporate or franchises stores. In Winston-Salem , the corporate offices, a mix blending plants and a machine shop occupied the same new facility to service the plants and shiops.

In 1959 Lewis decided to move back to Nashville so he traded a portion of his Krispy Kreme holdings for the Naswhville goughnut sores. He continued with this until the Krispy Kreme Stores were sold back to Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. in 1983. During his time back in Nashville a frozen doughnut was developed. A new planr was then built n Armory Dr. where doughnuts were manufactured , fast frozen and shipped across the country. The frozen plant was purchased by Rich Products of Buffalo, NY in 1984.

Lewis is preceded in death by his father, Plumy Harris Rudolph mother, Retha Nemo Rudolph, brothers Vernon Rudoplh, Ernest rudoplh, sister Mildred Wooton and grandchild, Steven Lewis Rudoplh.

Lewis is survived by his wife of 76 years Jeanne FisherRudolph; children, Bill Rudolph and wife Lucy Teague Rudolph, ,Joyce Cope and Husband Donald Harlan Cope, Randy Rudolph, Retha Fletcher Church, and husband Bobby Ray Church; grandchildren ,Lisa Rudolph Turner, Alan Rudolph,, Tommy Bumpous, Charity Cope Espanosa, Chris Cope, Courtney Rudolph, Wilson Reagan, Rudolph Miller, Ryan Rudolph, Patrick Rudolph, Andrew Fletcher, Katie Fletcher Belvin; 22 great grandchildren; 1 great great grand child.

Pallbearers will be grandchildren, Alan Rudolph, Tommy Bumpous, Chris Cope, Ryan Rudolph, Patrick Rudolph, and Andrew Fletcher, Honory Pallbearers are great grandchildren, Stephen Turner, Mitchell,Turner, Davis Rudolph, Blake Bumpous, Kyle Bumpous.