Gertrude Grafton Niehaus

Trudy was caring, thoughtful, and always tried to do the right thing. She was a loving wife to Howard (“Sparky”), who passed away before her; a devoted mother to Gretchen (Tom, who passed earlier), Marilyn (Ron), and Mark; a loving grandma to Marilyn (Brent), Sarah (Charles), and Bryan; and a proud great-grandma to Lauren (3½) and Tuf (1½).

Trudy cherished her role as a homemaker and took great pride in caring for her home—preparing meals and keeping everything tidy. She loved red, white, and blue, likely influenced by her July 5th birthday. She especially enjoyed coffee, lovingly served by her Sparky in his own special way.

Trudy and Howard were married on September 28, 1955, in Tucson. In April 1956, Howard was drafted into the Army and sent to Fort Ord, California, and later to Kitzingen, Germany. In 1957, Trudy traveled by train and ship from Tucson, Arizona, to Bremerhaven, Germany, to join her beloved husband. They created many wonderful memories during their adventure abroad. Trudy and Howard celebrated 62 years of marriage on September 28, 2017. Howard passed away later that year.

Trudy had a deep love for antiques. She cleaned and refinished, while Howard repaired the treasures they found. Trudy sold antiques through various antique mall locations.

Together, Trudy and Howard enjoyed cruises to Mexico and Alaska, as well as traveling through the Panama Canal. They also cherished trips to Morro Bay and Laughlin.

Above all, Trudy’s greatest passion was caring for her beloved husband and children, and later delighting in time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.