Mrs. Trudy Meyer

Trudy was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on May 5, 1941, which would later become Liberation Day (and a national holiday on her birthday!). She emigrated to Canada with her parents and sister Marianne in 1953, when she was 12 years old. Trudy taught herself English using a grade one reader (there were no ESL classes available), and two years later, was winning Debating awards in high school.

Trudy met Nick at a Halloween party, and they were married in 1963. Carolyn was born in 1967, Patricia in 1970 and Robert in 1973. Trudy was a stay-at-home mom in those early days, sewing our clothes, keeping us organized, and taking us to swimming, skating and piano lessons. We spent happy summers camping in Parksville and the Shuswap. Marrying a man with ten siblings made for many big family gatherings and a lot of visiting. Trudy was a favourite auntie to her more than forty nieces and nephews. Trudy and Nick had a wonderful celebration for their 50th anniversary with family and friends, and we were all looking forward to celebrating their 60th this year.

Trudy lived a wonderful, active (and very organized) life for all but the last weeks of her life. She worked for many years at the R.N.A.B.C. and made lifelong friends there with whom she continued to have lunch visits. Trudy’s retirement years were happy ones. She and Nick took many trips and cruises to Europe, Maui, Mexico and Alaska. Together they volunteered for Meals on Wheels for eighteen years, and every Wednesday, they picked up the grandchildren from school. She enjoyed a variety of exercise classes at Bonsor Recreation Centre, and belonged to a choir. There were many Sunday dinners, family trips to Osoyoos and batches of Grandma’s soup and muffins. Our lives will never be the same.

Trudy will be terribly missed by her husband, Nick, her sister Marianne, her daughters and son-in-laws: Carolyn and Ruben, Patricia and Greg, her son Robert, her grandchildren: Jacob, Emily, Sophie, Julia, Hannah and Cade, and many nieces and nephews.