Jude Thomas Bublitz

Jude Thomas Bublitz

Aiken, SC--Jude Thomas Bublitz was born in New Ulm, Minnesota on July 8, 1947 to Elizabeth (nee Schweiss) and Frank Gordon Bublitz. He died on October 28, 2026 in Augusta, GA after battling a rare and aggressive cancer. Named after St. Jude, he passed on the Feast Day for St. Jude. Jude was the beloved husband of Linda Susan Zehnbauer, whom he married on June 17, 2000. Jude was loved by many friends, neighbors, and colleagues who have described him as “a wonderful man,” “a great guy,” and someone who “will be deeply missed.” People remarked “I will remember his smile and kindness.”

Jude spent most of his life in Minnesota. He achieved his Master’s degree at the University of Minnesota and became a leader in the field of technical and vocational education. He transitioned into the corporate world, leading organizational change, leadership development, and succession planning functions and working globally for a variety of companies, including McLagan Consulting, AgriBank, Cargill, and HSBC in Minnesota and SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, GA.

Throughout Jude’s life, he played a variety of sports including baseball, football, tennis, and hockey, but golf was a lifelong passion. He had a drive for performance and a competitive spirit; he would compete for a nickel if possible, but always for the love of the game and a drink at the end of the round. He served on the golf committee at The Reserve Club at Woodside, helping build the golf program through new activities, such as the Twilight Zone events.

Jude is survived by his wife, Linda Zehnbauer. He is also survived by his son, Gregory Jude and his wife Kirsten Bublitz, and their three children, Jayden, Gordon, and Margaret, from Park Ridge, IL. He is also survived by his step-son, Jason Allan Pape, from Minneapolis. He has two additional grandchildren, Madison and Aiden, who reside in Aiken. Additionally, he is survived by five siblings and their spouses: Mike and Jeanne Bublitz, Greg and Lynette Bublitz, Mark and Jill Bublitz, Mary and Greg Sharp, and Aimee and Tony Rancour. He is also survived by numerous cousins, three nieces, and eight nephews – too numerous to name, but all very special to him. And, he is also survived by several in-laws, including sister-in-law, Dr. Barbara Zehnbauer and her husband, Dr. Timothy Buchman, sister-in-law Karen Gibson and her husband, Keith, and a brother-in-law, Eric Zehnbauer. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Mark Zehnbauer.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Reserve Club at Woodside on future date; details will be forthcoming. If you would like to honor Jude’s life, please donate to the American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or the Child Advocacy Center – Aiken County, www.cacofaiken.org.

COLE FUNERAL HOME 1544 UNIVERSITY PKWY (118 BYPASS) AIKEN, SC 29801 803-648-7175. Please sign the online registry at www.colefuneralhomeinc.net.