Mary Rudolph, 95, passed on to Jesus on November 10, 2017. She lived in Oil City, Reno, and Cooperstown during her lifetime and moved to Wesbury United Methodist Community, Meadville, in 2012 due to health issues.

Mary was born December 7, 1921, the fifth of six children to Ernest Algert Peterson and Ella Christine Anderson Peterson.

Mary attended the one-room school at the top of Halyday Run Road and graduated from the old Oil City High School in 1938.

Soon after, she married Walter “Bud” Lafferty.

They lived in Oil City, Reno, and Cooperstown where Bud became the owner of Lafferty Chevrolet and Mary assisted with the books and managed the household.

Mary and Bud had three children, Kenneth Walter, Gary Austin and David Frank.

Tragically, Bud passed away in 1961 and Mary moved back to Oil City where she became an EKG Technician at the old Oil City Hospital.

There she became renowned for her compassion and care for others.

In time, Mary met and married Vernon “Rudy” Rudolph, a widower, who brought his own three children, Claudia, Ted and Joe, into her life.

Mary and Rudy enjoyed many years at their home on West Avenue where Mary continued her love of flower gardening, canned fruits, and vegetables and baked her many specialties, including her famous peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies.

They turned their home into a Christmas wonderland each year with their outdoor decorations which were featured at one time by the Oil City Derrick.

After Rudy passed away in 2000, Mary continued to live in their West Avenue home and she celebrated her 90th birthday there in 2011 with her family.

Over the years, Mary endured two bouts of cancer, several surgeries, and other personal losses.

Nevertheless, her Christian commitment and her faithful church life at United Methodist Churches in Reno, Cooperstown and Oil City sustained her.

She initiated the Prayer Chain at Trinity Church in Oil City and faithfully decorated its chapel every Easter.

She was active in women’s groups and various Bible studies and her lemon meringue pies were coveted by those attending the Lenten Lunches at Trinity.

Survivors include her son, Ken Lafferty of St. Michaels, Maryland; her step-children Ted Rudolph and his wife Jean of Wilson, North Carolina, and Joe Rudolph and his wife Teresa of Seneca; grandchildren David Lafferty of Woodbine, Maryland; Kevin Lafferty and his wife Stacey of Madison, Connecticut; step-grandchildren Douglas Rudolph and his wife Amanda of Wilson, North Carolina; Tiffany Straub and her husband Mike of Pittsburgh; Joseph Rudolph and his wife Hillary of Wilson, North Carolina; Nicole Rudolph of Boston; Jamie Wilson and her husband Steve of Hermitage; Megan Klugh and her husband Andrew of Hermitage; Rob Fox of Oil City; Todd Fox and his wife Heather of Guys Mills; Theresa Fox Perry and her husband Craig of Oil City; and Heather Beth Fox of Ohio. Mary is also survived by 21 great-grandchildren from both the Lafferty and Rudolph families. Also, surviving is her daughter-in-law and caregiver, Christine Lafferty of Meadville, a favorite niece, Christine Ross of Franklin, a great-niece Bethany Ross of Pittsburgh, and many other nieces and nephews.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her youngest son, Davey, her middle son, Gary, her siblings, Chuck Peterson, Ed Peterson, Frank Peterson, Charlotte Williamson, and Eva Mae Erickson, a daughter-in-law, Nancy Lafferty, and a step-daughter, Claudia Fox.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 2 to 5 pm at the Morrison Funeral Home in Oil City.

The funeral service will be Thursday at 11 am at Trinity United Methodist Church in Oil City.

Interment will be at Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions will be welcomed to Trinity United Methodist Church, 2 Center St., Oil City, PA 16301, or Wesbury United Methodist Community, 31 N. Park Ave., Meadville, PA 16335. The family would like to recognize the excellent care Mary received at Wesbury and the loving kindness to her provided by all staff there.

Online condolences may be made at www.morrisonhome.com.