Trudy Rose, loving wife, mother of two children and grandmother of two boys, passed away on Thursday, April 11, 2019, in her Los Gatos home at the age of 80.
Trudy was born in 1939 on a sleigh in a snowstorm near Karlstad, Minnesota, to Edward and Thilda Peterson. She grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in 1952 she met her future husband, Terry Rose. After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Trudy received a Master of Speech Pathology from the University of Michigan. She followed Terry to Northern California where she worked as a speech therapist in Sacramento and the Bay Area. After 11 years of courtship, Trudy and Terry were married in Oakland on Nov. 30, 1963. They were married for 55 years and divided their time between California and their home on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Despite humble beginnings, Trudy possessed an inherent sense of style and a keen appreciation for beautiful design. A talented artist in her youth, she learned the craft of fine sewing from her mother, and together they recreated clothes from many fashion magazines and Hollywood movies. Trudy's design talents were not limited to clothing but also included a flair for interior design. Elegance and ingenuity were her hallmarks. In addition, Trudy was a fabulous cook, and her legendary apple pie was eagerly anticipated at family gatherings. Her grandson loved her German potato salad; it was simply the best.
Trudy was a loving, generous, dependable, and inspirational friend. She enjoyed spending time with her fellow "Rainbow Runners" (a ladies’ scuba diving group) and weekly mahjong with her girlfriends. She had a penchant for using colorful language while playing gin rummy when she lost a hand to Terry. Trudy and Terry were the best of friends who complemented and strengthened one another throughout their remarkable relationship of 67 years. Above all, Trudy was a woman of faith who loved the Lord with all her heart and lived her faith daily.
Trudy was preceded in death by her brothers Edward, Jack, and Laurie. She is survived by her husband Terry, her daughter Jennifer (James) of San Jose, her son Garrett of Bend, Oregon, her grandsons Connor and Nathan, her siblings Lonnie Peterson, Ruth Drosen, and William Peterson, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, May 31, 2019 at Saratoga Federated Church, 20390 Park Place, Saratoga, CA, at 11:00 a.m.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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