Krispy Kreme founder William Lewis Rudolph dies at 95

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Dec. 31 (UPI) — Krispy Kreme founder William Lewis Rudolph died at the age of 95 Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Rudolph founded the chain with his brother Vernon in Winston-Salem in 1937 after getting the recipe from a New Orleans French chef for yeast-raised doughnuts.

Rudolph moved to Nashville in 1959 and continued to work for the company for 48 years before retirement.

Rudolph sold the shops to the corporation in 1983 and retired in 1985.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Fisher Rudolph, four children, 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great, great-grandchild. His brother predeceased him in 1973.

“He was a very caring, family-oriented man,” said his daughter Joyce Cope.