Rudi Seehagen

Rudi Horst Seehagen
May 29, 1925 – September 10, 2015
After a long and valiant life, Rudi Horst Seehagen, a true man of God, left this earthly existence in Caro, Michigan, on September 10, 2015.
He was born May 29, 1925, to Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Seehagen and Anna Auguste Rauch in Berlin-Spandau, Germany. His parents provided a humble and loving home for him and his older brother, Horst. Their oldest brother, Gerhard, had died in infancy.
Rudi was drafted into the Wehrmacht in March of 1943 and captured soon after. Thanks to his iron faith, he survived two years in Russian prison camp, always sur-rounded by death. He returned totally emaciated to his beloved hometown, Berlin, which had been ravaged beyond recognition during the last days of the Second World War.
On December 11, 1948, he married Brunhilde Herta Marja Siedler in Berlin-Spandau where they raised their two children, Christiane and Andreas, in love and devotion. In 1962 their family was sealed for time and all eternity in the Swiss Temple. Both Rudi and his Bruni were stalwart members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, always busy in many callings. After the Berlin Wall was erected by the com-munists in August 1961, the brethren at the headquarters of the church felt inspired to promptly establish a stake of Zion in the west part of that troubled city. At the young age of 36, Rudi became the first stake president in Germany, which calling he held for over ten years. He considered it one of his greatest blessings to be able to serve in the Lord’s kingdom, and for him and his family no sacrifice was ever too much. He contin-ued his service in the church after emigrating to Utah in 1973, where his family started a new chapter in their lives. Grateful to be afforded the opportunity to live in their own house on Creek Road in Sandy, they forged ahead in a new country, speaking a new language, and learning new customs. They hosted many guests in their lovely, welcoming home and garden. Rudi also established his own studio in the basement where he kept teaching the art of porcelain painting which had been his life’s work in Germany. He had retired there after 34 years at the Staatliche Porzellan Manufaktur (KPM) where he was chief instructor and head of the painting department. Rudi and his wife Bruni were honored to be ordinance workers in the Jordan River Temple since its dedication in 1981. Rudi continued the work after his wife’s death in 1999 and later concluded his service at the Draper Temple.
Rudi married a fellow porcelain painter from Michigan, Mary Ashcroft, August 25, 2001, sealed in the Jordan River Temple. They spent their life together between Sandy, Utah, and Caro, Michigan. They moved permanently to Caro, near to Mary’s family, her daughter Amanda and her husband Brian Thompson, where Rudi remained the last four years of his life.
Rudi is survived by his wife, Mary Wrobel Ashcroft Seehagen; his children Christiane Seehagen Adams and her husband James Edward Adams, Andreas Seehagen and his wife JoDee Funk Seehagen; his grandchildren James Andrew Adams and his wife Annalyn Mansell Adams, Annabelle Adams Slater and her husband Matthew Paul Slater, Jacob Seehagen, Sandee Seehagen, Bradee Seehagen and his wife Mallory Pratt Seehagen, Codee Seehagen; his great-grandchildren Max, Jason, Zachary and Lauren Adams, Zoey and Malena Slater, Bodee Seehagen and two others arriving soon.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the Willow Creek Stake Center, 2350 E. Creek Road, Sandy, UT. Viewings at Monday, September 14, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Mountain View Memorial Estates, 3115 E. Bengal Blvd. (7800 S.) SLC, UT and 1 hr. prior to the services Tuesday at the church. Interment, Mountain View. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.mountainviewmortuary.com.