James Leon Rudder

In Loving Memory of James Leon Rudder

James Leon Rudder, 55, of Columbus, Ohio, walked off the stage for the final time on June 3, 2026 leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and an unmatched collection of music and rock t-shirts. Born on January 6, 1971 in Columbus, Ohio, James spent a lifetime marching—and headbanging—to the beat of his own drum.

James believed deep down that the volume knob was meant to be turned to eleven, and that every great life problem could be solved by listening to Megadeth or Iron Maiden. On September 29th, 1982, James went to his first metal concert at the age of 11 with his sister, Denise to see Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. From that moment he was a fixture at heavy metal concerts throughout the years. James had many interests in life which included drawing, skating, biking, RC cars, fantasy miniatures, computer game developing, PC building and automotive repair. He gave back what was given to him by being a regular volunteer at the Smoky Row Brethren Church Food Pantry.

James was the beloved son of Purnell "Rusty" and Rose Rudder and was predeceased by his siblings Barb, Billy, Bobby, and Rosie. James is survived by his siblings Denise (Douglas) Holzmeier, Lucinda (John) Hoffman and Harold Minck along with his nephew, Daniel Holzmeier, who he grew close with since his sister and family moved back to Columbus. He also leaves behind sisters-in-law Susan and Maryann Rudder, numerous nieces and nephews along with friends who appreciated his bold truthfulness and humor.

A celebration of James/J.L.'s life will be held on Saturday June 13, 2026 at 1pm at Smoky Row Brethren Church located at 7260 Smoky Row Rd, Columbus, OH 43235 . In the spirit of honoring a music lover, all attendees can feel free to wear your favorite band t-shirt and comfortable clothes, instead of traditional funeral attire.

Rock on, James. The encore starts now.