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Affectionately known as “Zeke” to his classmates but also as “Don,” “Phil,” or “Rundie” to his family and many friends, <em>Don Philip Rundle</em> will forever be remembered with love and affection by all who were fortunate enough to have been a part of his life. Zeke’s life was full to the brim. He was a loving father and husband, as well as a highly respected business and church leader in La Crosse, WI, where he made his home for the last 32 years of his life.</p>
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Zeke was born in Lawton, ND to Earl C. and Edith Rundle and lived in North Dakota through his high school years. His mother died shortly after his birth, and for the rest of his life, Zeke remained devoted to his stepmother, Elinor Aird Rundle, and his father, who was a prominent cattle rancher, newspaperman, and state legislator in North Dakota. At an early age, Zeke worked at the newspaper and on the ranch. He loved ranch work and started horseback riding when he started grade school. As a youngster, he worked on the ranch year-round, riding his horse in roundups, branding, and helping with late winter calving on the bitterly cold Dakota prairie. Through this hard work, Zeke developed a toughness that stayed with him throughout the challenges at West Point and continued through the last difficult months of his life.</p>
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Zeke attended high school in New England, ND, where his record of outstanding achievement in academics and athletics began early. As the son of a newspaperman, he seemed to have a natural ability as a writer. In New England, every able-bodied boy played football, basketball, and baseball. Zeke played all three well, but baseball was his favorite sport.</p>
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After a year of prep school in Minneapolis, Zeke began his first year at West Point. Because of his toughness and work ethic, he struggled less than most of us in Beast Barracks. He adjusted to the rigors of West Point quickly, made friends easily, and seldom complained. Early in his Plebe year, Zeke took a liking to boxing, and Herb “Punchy” Kroeten, West Point’s boxing coach, became a lifelong friend. Zeke distinguished himself as an excellent boxer during all four years at West Point and was voted team captain in his First Class year.</p>
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Zeke chose Infantry, and he started his career at the Basic Course at Ft. Benning followed by Airborne School. He then went directly to Germany, serving as a platoon leader. Because he had studied German at West Point, he was quick to adjust to his new environment. While in Germany, he joined the German Intercity Boxing League and quickly became the 165-pound entry on the Augsberg German team. He spent much of his free time building an impressive record in one of the toughest boxing circuits in Europe.</p>
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After Zeke’s tour in Germany, he decided to leave the Army and enroll in the University of Minnesota for graduate studies in civil engineering. While in Minneapolis, Zeke met the lovely Ardys Lorraine Hazard, and they were married in March 1960. Zeke later confided in friends that Ardys was the only true love of his life. During the first ten years of their marriage, they moved from Minneapolis to Des Moines to Cincinnati and finally to La Crosse, WI. During this time, they also became parents to three daughters and a son.</p>
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Zeke started his business career at Harris Seybold, a manufacturer of printing equipment, and achieved success in sales and large account management. By 1970, his great success at Harris enabled him to move into a full partnership at Inland Printing, a Wisconsin-based printing company. At Inland, Zeke led the company to a long and successful period of rapid growth and profitability. In addition to his work at Inland, Zeke served on the Board of Directors and later on the Board of Trustees at the La Crosse YMCA. As a result of Zeke’s leadership, an expansive pool facility at the YMCA was named The Rundle Aquatic Center. He also was instrumental in the development of a toy-lending library at the Gundersen Lutheran Hospital and was elected to the Board of Directors of First Federal Savings and Loan Association. In addition, Zeke served for years on his church’s Board of Stewardship.</p>
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Zeke also found time for golf, fishing, and hunting upland game birds. Zeke played golf until the last full day of his life. Hunting fit nicely into his ranch work, and he frequently invited his old H-1 roommates for pheasant hunting and summer roundups. Zeke would watch with amusement while his city cowboy classmates wrestled calves and held them to the ground for branding.</p>
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During retirement, Zeke was drawn to his North Dakota ranch lands. With his faithful Labrador retrievers, Jessie and Calvin, he would head for the ranch to work on a wildlife habitat on the family ranch. To achieve his dream, Zeke planted thousands of trees, built dams on the Cannonball River, planted new crops, and worked tirelessly to create an animal-friendly habitat.</p>
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Zeke died peacefully in his sleep on 10 Feb 2002 at his winter vacation home in Sun City, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Ardys Lorraine; his four children: Melanie Kay, Pamela Jane, Carol Elizabeth, and Robert Earl; five grandchildren; and two sisters: Lynne Carlson and Rachel Hoovestol. Zeke’s memorial service in La Crosse, WI was attended by family members, many friends, and classmate Pete Fikaris. A second memorial service was held in New England, ND on 3 Jun 2002. In attendance were classmates Todd and Sue Graham, Don and Jilla Smith, Zeke’s wife Ardy, their four children with their families, and many other family members and friends. The service was followed by a ceremony at the Rundle Family Ranch, where Todd Graham and Don Smith joined in spreading Zeke’s ashes across the fields and trees of his wildlife habitat while the sound of bagpipes played in the distance.</p>
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<em>By H-1 classmates and roommates Todd Graham and Don Smith</em></p>