Rudy "The Hammer" Cipres, devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, peacefully passed away Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks after a seven year battle with Myasthenia Gravis.

He was born on February 13, 1942, in Oxnard, Calif. He attended Oxnard High School and graduated in 1959. Soon after, he married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Irene Pettit, in 1961. He went on to become a California Highway Patrolman and later retired after serving thirty years in the force. Rudy and Irene travelled all over the globe together. In the last ten years they made a cross-country trip, as well as travelling to Alaska, the Caribbean, Italy, and Mexico. Some favorite travel destinations of Rudy and Irene's were short trips to Laughlin, Las Vegas, and Yosemite. He enjoyed his monthly breakfast clubs; one with his fellow retired CAHP officers and the other with his Oxnard High School friends who called themselves the ROMEO's, which stood for "Raunchy Old Men Eating Out."

His unique humor will not be forgotten, nor his love for the old wild west-John Wayne movies especially. "Papa" prided himself on being the family historian, collecting dates of births and taking photos of every one of his family members. Rudy had many friends and was loved by many.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Josephine Ortiz Diaz, and his father, Jesus Cipres, as well as his stepfather, Manuel Diaz. Rudy is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Irene Pettit; his children, Deborah Cipres Magallanes, husband Daniel, daughter Kathleen Cipres Hurtado, husband Art, son, Ronald Cipres and fiancee Vina; his seven grandchildren; brothers, Jess Cipres and Manuel Diaz; sisters, Delfina Garcia, Alice Gutierrez and Carol Supat; and numerous nieces and nephews.

We want to give special thanks to all of the doctors and staff at Los Robles Hospital that helped him manage his rare illness through all these years.

Papa's favorite prayer, "The Prayer of St. Francis" Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.

Rosary services will be held Tuesday, July 26, at 7 p.m., at St. Mary Magdalen's Church in Camarillo at the corner of Las Posas and Crestview. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27, at St. Mary Magdalen's Church in Camarillo. Burial will follow at Santa Clara Cemetery, 2370 North H Street, Oxnard. All burial services will be handled by Santa Clara Mortuary, 485-5757.