Trudy (Gertrude) Marie Williams Wheeler, age 94, a Georgetown, Texas resident since March 1995, died July 8, 2010. She was born August 25, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John Hilton and Lucy Rudderow Williams. She and Peyton Wheeler, Jr. were married September 2, 1939 in Windom, Texas, the day the news reached the U.S.A. that Germany invaded Poland.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and sister, Lillian Williams Abbott. She is survived by daughters, Lucy and husband John Paul Aymond, Jr. of Georgetown, Texas and Jewel Marie Wheeler of Durham, North Carolina; son, Peyton Wheeler III and his wife Nancy Landrie Wheeler of Kalamazoo, Michigan; granddaughter, Christine and husband David Porter of Spring, Texas; grandsons, Matthew John Aymond and wife Annie of Houston, Texas and Peyton Wheeler IV; step grandsons, Chad and Timothy Wheeler and Morris Eugene Trotter III all of Omaha, Nebraska; step granddaughters, Suzanne Escamilla and Julie Stoker; great grandsons, Zachary David Porter of Spring, Texas and Cole Zohlen Aymond; fourteen step great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She graduated in 1933 from The Jacob Tome Institute, Port Deposit, Maryland, receiving in her junior year the Balfour Award for outstanding scholarship. Earning a business degree from Beacom College, Wilmington, Delaware, prepared her for a career as secretary in the insurance field, skills she also used to do extensive church work as she followed her husband from Texas, to Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, New Jersey and back to Texas, valuing friends in each state.
As a young woman she joined the Women’s Missionary Society and in 1940 became a charter member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service, now United Methodist Women. She received many Special Recognition certificates in acknowledgement of being a Sunday School teacher, circle leader and president of a unit. She found time to do civic work, being at various times Girl Scout Leader, president of a Girl Scout Council, Peabody School P.T.A., of Milledgeville, Georgia, and Evening Membership Department, Women’s Club, Red Bank, New Jersey.
In the 1960’s she began lecturing on cut glass and was known as “the cut glass lady”. She traveled up and down the East Coast and as far west as Ohio and Missouri. She was considered an expert on cut glass and enjoyed sharing her expertise and knowledge with historical societies, Questas, garden and women’s clubs. Her lecture was often given by church organizations as a fundraiser.
In 1976 Trudy was elected president of The Frontier Village of Grayson County and appointed scrapbook chairman of the Sesquicentennial Committee of Grayson County, Sherman, Texas. The scrapbook is included in the 100th year capsule buried in the courthouse lawn. Later she was editor/reporter of the Frontier Gazette, published by the Frontier Village Board of Directors. She was also president of the Grayson County Historical Society. Moving to Meridian, Texas, she was secretary/treasurer of the Helping Hands organization, receiving a Special Recognition Certificate.
At age 79 her first story was published. Other short stories and articles followed. Poetry was a surprising God-given talent. She soon had the required drawer full of rejection slips so that each acceptance was cause for delight. She met many interesting people and wrote profiles of their lives which were published in the Williamson County Sun, Georgetown, Texas. In August 2007 at the age of 92 Trudy published her book, The Keeper of the Inn, the story of the innkeeper’s family in Bethlehem.
She was fourth generation Methodist, belonging in Georgetown to the First United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the Administrative Board, Boy Scout liaison, program chairman of the Hannah Circle and involved with MOPS. She was a member of the American Cut Glass Association, Boy Scouts of America, San Gabriel Women’s Club, San Gabriel Writers League and DAR.
A memorial service to celebrate Trudy’s life will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, July 12, 2010 at First United Methodist Church in Georgetown, Texas with Reverend Brenda Adkins officiating. She will be buried next to her husband at Oakwood Cemetery in Honey Grove, Texas at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made in Trudy’s honor to: The Wesleyan Home Benevolent Fund, P.O. Box 486, Georgetown, Texas 78627-0486 or to Wesleyan Hospice, 508 Leander Road, Georgetown, Texas 78626.
Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564.
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