|
a.
|
Note: N14 From a letter written on 10 July 1983 by Rose Goepfrich Schneider, Rudy's niece: .....".....Rudolph, who lost an arm at a very early age (18) during a summer job at Studebakers, settled for a Notre Dame education with a Cum Laude degree in engineering. He designed hundreds of patents and held the very responsible position of Chief Engineer with the Bendix automotive brakes division, He married Nellie Mansfield and added Joan, Charles, Helen, and Margaret to third generation Goepfriches. Rudy died on July 4, 1974." Over the years, Rudy and Nellie had four children and 21 grandchildren. Rudy lost one of his hands in an industrial accident while working at Studebaker. Realizing that he now had no future as a factory worker, he determined to get an education at the University of Notre Dame. He became an engineer and spent his career in the employ of Bendix Corp automobile brake division. He was responsible for hundreds of patents over the years and in his later years traveled all over the world for Bendix defending their patent claims. In the 1940's they built a cottage on Long Lake near Three Rivers, Michigan. This was used extensively as a vacation home for the entire family and is still in the family to this day. Obituary taken from The South Bend Tribune (died July 4, 1974): . "Rudolph A. Goepfrich, 73, of 1109 N. Cleveland Ave., died at 6 A.M. Thursday in his home of an apparent heart attack. He was the chief engineer of the brake division of the Bendix Corp., retiring in 1966 after working there 39 years. Born April 2, 1901 in South Bend, he had lived here all his life. On Jan. 5, 1927, he maried Nellie Mansfield who survives. Also surviviving are a son, Charles J. of Granger; three daughters, Mrs. Joan Stevens and Mrs. Margaret Zmudzinski, both of South Bend, Mrs. Helen Collins of Mishawaka; 21 grandchildren ; a great granddaughter, and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Reznick of South Bend and Mrs. Madeline Steizer of Milford, Mich. . Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday in the Hickey Funeral Home, 2702 Lincoln Way W. Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Holy Cross Catholic Church. Entombment will be in Riverview Mausoleum. Mr. Goepfrich was a member of council 553, Knights of Columbus; the Society of Automotive Engineers; the Engineers Club of South Bend; and the South Bend Turners. A rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. today in the funeral home." Article from the "South Bend Tribune" announcing Rudy's retirement. It has a photo of him holding one of his inventions- the Twinplex brake: . Inventor Goepfrich Retires But Will Continue Work . By MARC CARMICHAEL Tribune Staff Writer . Retirement from Bendix Corp. won't get Rudolph Goepfrich out of the brake business or the inventor's shop. . Goepfrich, inventor, designer, engineer and globe-trotter for Bendix Products Automotive Division for nearly 40 years, retired last month. But his retirement plans sound suspiciously similar to what he's been doing all along - with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the golf game and outings at the lake. . After traveling the world representing Bendix, applying for and receiving 108 patents, working actively in the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and serving on as many as 14 technical committees of various societies, Goepfrich still plans to maintain his connection with the industry. . Represents Bendix . He will represent Bendix to such organizations as the National Saftey Council, do odd jobs for the company, and may work on some more inventions "if an idea strikes me." . Goepfrich, a native of South Bend, lives with his wife at 1109 Cleveland Ave. He is a 1926 graduate of Notre Dame, where he received a degree in mechanical engineering. He joined Bendix in 1927 as a brake development engineer. . His inventing career began in 1931when he received his first U.S. patent, this one for a brake assembly. He received 107 more in the next 35 years, most of them related to improvements in automotive brakes and brake systems. . A few patents stayed outside the brake field, one being for a mechanical fastner for wheeled toys. . Important Patent . One of the more important patents issued to him was for the Twinplex brake assembly, now used on many of the new trucks being built. . He has held several engineering positions with Bendix, including those of chief of the new development section and chief engineer of the Products Automotive Division. . One of his jobs with the company has been to visit licensees in Europe and Asia. He made three trips to Europe, in 1953, 1957, and 1961, advising brake manufacturers in France, England, Sweden, Spain and Italy. . in 1961-1963 he helped Bendix's Japanese subsidiary set up a plant and later worked with Japanese engineers in a six-week indoctrination course. He visited all vehicle manufacturing plants in Japan, helping to start a new plant in the Tokyo area in 1962. . Major Contributor . Goepfrich has made major contributions to the brake, automotive, and car safey fields, largely through his membership and chairmanship of a host of societies and committees. . He was one of the 18 engineers from all over the world honored in 1964 by the SAE technical board with a certificate of appreciation. The award cited his "distinguised chairmanship" of the SAE's steering committee on automotive brake problems and "major contributions of his personal technical ability." . In 1965 his activities included acting as chairman of a committee of the American Ordinance Assn., a group which studies the country's military vehicle needs and acts as laison between industry and the military. . Published Standard . Goepfrich has also served on the National Saftey Council's committee on winter driving hazards, the American Society for Testing and Material's skid resistance committee, and was for eight years chairman of the subcommittee on "bonded" brake linings, getting a standard published on the subject. . He is also a registered professional engineer and a member of the Tire and Rim Assn., the organization which sets tire standards for the entire automotive industry. . Goepfrich has been a lifetime resident of South Bend. He and his wife have four grown children and 20 grandchildren. The 1930 census for district 12, South Bend, St. Joseph Co., Indiana (Ancestry.com image page 10 of 30), at 1109 Cleveland Ave., lists Rudolph Goepfrich, owner of home valued at $4800, owning a radio, age 29, first married at age 25, born in Indiana, parents born in Austria, mech. eng., auto indust., not a veteran. . Nellie J., wife, age 24, first married at age 21, she & father born in Maine, mother in Canada-English. . Joan M., dau., age 2, born in Indiana . Fassnacht, Hattie, mo-in-law, age 45, she & parents born in Canada-English. . Mansfield, Printha E., sis-in-law, age 14, born in New Jersey, father born in Maine, mother in Canada-English . Mansfield, Gertrude, sis-in-law, age 13, born in Michigan, father born in Maine, mother in Canada-English The 1940 census for Portage Twp., 1st Ward of the city of South Bend, St. Joseph Co., Indiana (SD 3 / ED 97-9 / Sheet 2A) at 1109 Cleveland: . R.A. GOEPFRICH, head, owns home valued at $5000, age 39, married, completed 4 years of college, born in Indiana, mechanical experimental engineer in auto parts factory, $3600 income in 1939, he & entire household living in same house in 1935. . Nellie, wife, age 35, completed 4 years of high school, born in Maine. . Joan, daughter, age 12, 6 years of school, she & remainder of household born in Indiana. . Charles, son, age 19, 3 years of school. . Helen, daughter, age 8, 2 years of school. . Margaret, daughter, age 5.
|
