Rudy "RJ" Avila, Jr.

"R.J." Rudy Leonard Avila, Jr., 27, of El Dorado, Arkansas passed September 12, 2021 after a long battle with addiction. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas on August 8, 1994, the son of Rudy L. and Sally Craig Avila, R.J. was employed by Canfor Incorporated and was a Christian baptized in the Catholic Faith. As a young boy R.J. enjoyed playing baseball, skateboarding, bowling, and spending time with his family.

R.J.’s family remembers him as a kind person that never met a stranger, and despite his struggles, he always had a smile on his face. Through the loss of R.J., his family hopes to spread awareness that addiction does not discriminate. For awareness of drug addiction, please tune in to an Opioid Education Documentary that will air on Arkansas P.B.S. on October 25, 2021, R.J., along with others will be memorialized in this documentary.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his parents, Rudy Sr. and Sally Avila, of Little Rock; his paternal grandfather, Mike Avila of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; three brothers, Troy (Mili) Todd of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis Todd of Little Rock  and Jeremy (Jennifer) Todd of Woodruff, South Carolina; and one sister, Audra (Josh) Miller of North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Preceding him in death are his paternal grandmother, Dorothy Avila and maternal grandparents, Charlie and Pat Craig.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the drug recovery program of your choice.

A service to honor R.J.’s life will be held on Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m. at Smith Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Ct., Little Rock with visitation starting at 1:00 p.m.