Rudolf M. Altinger, 89, of Aberdeen, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at home on June 10, 2016. Rudolf, known as Rudy to his family and friends, was born Nov. 11, 1926, in Glonn, Germany, in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, where he spent his early years.
Rudy was drafted into the German army in 1944 at the age of 17. After being wounded in France, he recuperated and was then sent to fight on the Russian front where he was captured in February 1945. He remained a prisoner of war until his release in May 1948.
Rudy and his wife, Mathilde, were married on May 16, 1955, and began their life together in Germany. They relocated to the United States in 1958 and settled in Aberdeen in 1963 to raise their five children. Rudy was a welder with the Operating Engineers Union, Local 825, and worked for Foley Machinery Inc. in Piscataway.
Rudy had trained as a pastry chef in Germany and worked with world-renowned pastry chefs in New York and Atlantic City. He continued working part-time as a pastry chef at Café Mozart in Union for over 25 years and created wedding cakes for his daughters’ marriages.
Rudy was predeceased by his parents, Josef and Anna (Jehl) Altinger; his stepmother Anna (Maier) Altinger; his beloved wife, Mathilde W. (Gottfried) Altinger; his son-in-law, Julius Bitterfeld; and four brothers, Max, Ernst, Siegfried and Hermann.
He is survived by his children, Max J. Altinger of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Gertrud M. Ferst of East Windsor, Elizabeth A. Hopkins and her husband, Charles, of Rumson, Linda Bitterfeld of Annapolis, Maryland, and Siegfried H. Altinger and his wife, Donna, of Park City, Utah, as well as two brothers, Josef Altinger and Hans Altinger, and a sister, Mariane Kreuzer. Rudy is also survived by his grandchildren, Jacob and Andrew Altinger, Tyler and Jessica Ferst, Courtney Carter and her husband, Christopher, Ashley, Brooke, and Brittany Hopkins, Leandra and Brian Bitterfeld, and two great-grandchildren, Grayson and Audrey Carter. He will be sadly missed, forever loved and never forgotten.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Shore Point Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 3269 State Route 35 North, Hazlet. In respect of Rudolf’s wishes, he will be privately cremated. A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m. at New Monmouth Baptist Church, 4 Cherry Tree Farm Road, Middletown. The family requests donations to the New Monmouth Baptist Church or a charity of your choice in lieu of flowers. For information, directions or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.shorepointfh.com.