Gertrude Carley Brown Ensign

Gertrude “Trudy” Brown Ensign passed away in Arlington, Virginia on Monday, February 28, 2022. She is survived by her two daughters, Phyllis B. Covert of Clearwater, Florida, and Jane M. Brown of Glennallen, Alaska, and by her two Grandsons, Christopher M. Covert of Safety Harbor, Florida and Jonathan D. Covert of Del Aire, California.

Trudy was born on a farm on October 4, 1920, in Macedonia, Iowa and lived to be 101 years young. She grew up in a household of 8 children on a 200-acre farm in Iowa. She had four brothers and three sisters. Her grade school was a single room, country school through the 8th grade. She graduated from Macedonia High School in Macedonia, IA.

Thereafter, Trudy attended and graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, IA and became a schoolteacher in Oakland, IA. Towards the end of one of the school years during World War II, a man appeared at the school and said that he was there to recruit people to come to Washington, D.C. to help the war effort. She said, "yes!" and he gave her a ticket for the train and said they would pick her up at Union Station. One of her brothers put her on the train. Then, when the train arrived in Washington, she was taken to Arlington Farms in Arlington, Virginia, where everyone was to be housed. With only her trunk, she moved into a room at Arlington Farms. The next day she began work at Arlington Hall.

At Arlington Hall, she initially worked in the Communications Center. There, she worked with machines that decoded messages sent to Washington from various field units in Europe and the Pacific. Thereafter, Trudy decided to make Arlington her home and continue her work with the Army Security Agency as a cryptologist. She was sent to various field stations in Alaska, Panama, and Japan.

Trudy became a member of the Clarendon United Methodist Church in Arlington. Over the years, she was involved in women’s groups and tirelessly contributed her services to the Church in membership and in many, many other areas - even making her special Sunday morning coffee in Corry Social Hall! For her years of hard work and dedication, the church in turn has created The Gertrude “Trudy” Ensign Memorial Garden to honor and remember her for all her years contributing to and enriching the lives of everyone who attended.

Trudy was an avid fan of the Washington Nationals baseball team. In fact, she was so much of a fan she received several gifts in person from representatives of the team on her 100th birthday celebration. This special 100th birthday party was highlighted by a rather lengthy parade of cars and well-wishers as well as being led by the Arlington County Fire Department and the Arlington County Police Department – sirens wailing!

A Memorial Service to celebrate a life well lived will be held at 11 am on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at the Clarendon United Methodist, 606 N Irving St., Church, Arlington, VA 22201 with a reception following in the Corry Social Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Clarendon United Methodist Church - Memo: Garden in Honor of Trudy.