Obituary
Trudy passed away peacefully on July 1, 2015 at her home in Edmonton, AB, the city she had called home for over 40 years. Trudy was born on June 5, 1942 in Vancouver, BC. She spent her early childhood in BC, then Saskatchewan. In 1954, the family moved back to BC where Trudy attended St. Ann's Academy in Victoria. Five years later, Trudy graduated from St. Ann's after twice winning the Governor General's medal for academic excellence. Following graduation in 1959, Trudy entered the convent despite her father's wishes that she attend law school instead. After completing her teacher's training, Trudy taught in several schools across BC, including her alma mater, St. Ann's. Sister Trudy attended the University of Victoria where she earned numerous awards and scholarships before graduating with a B.Ed. in 1971. Trudy left the convent in 1972. She moved to Edmonton in 1973 to become the house manager for Project 72, a residential program for troubled youth. In 1976 -1977, Trudy worked as the Prairie organizer for the Canadian Council on International Cooperation.
A month-long trip to Europe in 1976 sparked a lifelong love of travel. Over the years, Trudy travelled to a variety of destinations around the world, including China, Russia, Greece, Mexico, Cuba, Bermuda, Peru, and numerous other places in South and Latin America. Trudy also travelled the length & breadth of Canada for both work and pleasure, making many friends along the way.
In 1977, Trudy went to work for an organization called Ten Days for World Development, an inter-church group dedicated to raising awareness of social justice issues. Trudy then accepted a position as staff supervisor at the Boyle Street Co-op in 1979. The Co-op was a drop-in centre that provided counselling, housing, and social services to the residents of downtown Edmonton. A year later, Trudy purchased her first home and began a decade-long process of extensive renovations to restore the character of the house that was originally built in 1912.
Trudy remained with the Boyle St. Co-op until March 1984, when she accepted a position with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA). Except for a brief stint for the BC Nurses Union in 1990-91, Trudy remained with UNA until her retirement in 2007. Trudy's mother was a nurse and, as an educator with UNA, Trudy felt fulfilled that three important strands in her life - nursing, labour organization, and teaching, were all woven together.
Trudy was dedicated to many social justice and political causes including international development, anti-poverty, union organization, human rights, and feminism. She was justifiably proud of her extensive volunteer work with organizations such as the Alberta Status of Women; the NDP of Alberta; the Edmonton Voters Association; the Urban Core Support Network; the National Anti-Poverty Organization; the National Action Committee on the Status of Women; and the Global Foundation for Social Harmony and Sustainable Development.
Card-making and scrapbooking were important creative outlets for Trudy. A veteran storyteller and family historian, Trudy archived treasured family photos and memorabilia in a series of beautifully crafted albums. She loved attending card-making workshops to learn new painting, printing, and stencilling techniques and then sharing the fruits of her labours with family and friends.
Trudy is lovingly remembered by her sisters Jamie Richardson and Bonnie Bruce (Don) of Terrace, BC; her niece Kaeleen Foote (Ron) of Prince Rupert, BC and their three children, Josh, Alyssa, and Michael; her niece Donanne Bruce and her daughters Charlize and Holland Ramos of Miami, Florida. She will also be fondly remembered by aunts, cousins, colleagues, and a wide circle of friends.
A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held on Saturday, July 25th at 2:00 p.m. at the 55 Plus Club, 50 Spruce Avenue, Sherwood Park, AB. Friends are welcome!
Memorial donations in Trudy�s honour can be made directly to Doctors Without Borders, 720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 402, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2T9; website: http://www.msf.ca/en/msf-canada
