Waltraud Sieglinde Gebhardt Wooddell

Waltraud (Trudy) Sieglinde Gebhardt Wooddell of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 11, 2016. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Thomas (Tom) Jackson Wooddell, daughter, Rosie Wooddell Tinsley, future son-in-law, Ivan Bohannon and his children, Zehra, Lukas, and Jacob Bohannon, nieces Brigitte Koch Heiland, Cynthia Karpaw Sobieski, Kimberly Karpaw Christopher, Katherine Soto Shannon, nephew Frederick Gebhardt Adams and their families, and “Bestie” Marlene Gallagher. Trudy, also known as “Traudel” by Tom and her German family and friends, shared her birthday with our great Nation. Born on July 4, 1938 in Kaiserslautern, Germany in the midst of World War II, she was the youngest of ten children of Elizabeth Mueller Gebhardt and Fredrick Gebhardt. Trudy saw many courageous and selfless acts performed by her parents, siblings and neighbors until the war ended when she was seven years old. Trudy remained in Germany with her family where she grew into early adulthood before coming to America for the first time in 1958. Trudy met her husband Tom while he served on active duty in the United States Air Force in Germany. They were married on September 14, 1957, in a beautiful ceremony in the city where she was born. For the next twenty years, Trudy accompanied Tom during his Air Force assignments to Florida, California, and Germany. They were separated only once, during his one year tour in Viet Nam in 1966, which was also the year that Trudy became an American citizen, sworn in in the great state of Texas. Trudy was an Olympic homemaker, with a passion for entertaining, cooking, baking, and gardening. She adored her daughter, Rosie, who Trudy spoke with every day no matter how many miles or time zones separated them. Trudy loved the Lord and all the cuddly animals He placed here on earth. She never met a stranger; she made everyone she spoke with feel welcome and valued. To be loved by Trudy was a special blessing, and those she treasured knew what a special gift it was. Trudy was a member of Divine Savior Lutheran Church (WELS) in Indianapolis until it closed and then she became a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church (WELS) in Carmel. The Family would like to thank Community North Hospital, Doctor George Rubeiz, Doctor Ronald Bloom, Respiratory Therapists Charla, Ramona, and Shane, Deana and the Intensive Care Nursing Staff, particularly Courtney, Leigh, Nichole, Terre, Marty, Lindsey, John, Maria, Chris, Tim, and others who tended meticulously and compassionately to Trudy’s needs during her final days.