Gertrude Jean (Trudy) Keay, daughter of Walter Benjamin Harrison and Willemina Van Harken, passed away at age 92 on September 16, 2024 in Sarasota, Florida. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, at age 3 Trudy and family moved to Mexico City but returned in 1940 to live in Clifton, NJ.
An outstanding student, Trudy graduated Clifton High School in 1950, after which she became a bookkeeper and participated in local theatre where she met and married her husband of sixty years- Alfred Keay from Wilkes-barre, PA. Trudy and Al moved to Wayne New Jersey in 1955, raising their family and enjoying their cherished friends, church, and action-filled community.
Trudy was a woman who possessed a zest for life and many talents. While her home, family and community were of greatest importance she worked in several capacities, as a bookkeeper, credit manager, and records manager for Union Camp in Wayne, NJ. However, her most memorable job was as a model/demonstrator for “Trim Twist”. She was so successful selling the product she was asked to become a regional sales manager and appear on TV in New York.
When not working Trudy loved competing in local tennis and volleyball leagues, playing bridge, acting, singing and dancing for the “Packanack Players” and enjoying her friends and family in Wayne, New Jersey before retiring to Sarasota, Florida in 2013. A woman of faith, she enjoyed the peace and promise of her Lord through her last days.
Trudy is survived by her four children: Laura Sonntag (Ralph) of Marco Island, FL, Dave Keay of Ringwood, NJ, Dan Keay (Lisa) of Sarasota, FL, and Jim Keay (Norma) of Dallas, TX. She is also survived by her sister Barbara Harrison of St Cloud, FL, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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