Gertrude M Racine

Gertrude M. Racine, 89, of Bolingbrook, IL, born September 19, 1925, in Evanston, IL, died Thursday, January 08, 2015, at Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care in Naperville, IL. Raised during her formative years in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL, Trudy and her family then moved to rural Indiana where as a young teen she attended school, participating in many school activities and famously appearing in a production of “Aunt Samantha Rules the Roost” as Aunt Samantha, and worked on the family farm. After high school she returned to Chicago, moving in with her oldest sister Catherine and finding office work. Eventually, she met her husband, Eugene (Gene), and they married, June 4, 1949. The couple relocated to the western suburbs of Chicagoland, along with Gene’s sons, and established their family; raising his boys and four of their own children in the villages of Hinsdale, Naperville, Wheaton, Lombard and Villa Park. As the children grew, Trudy, Gene, and the family, established a tradition of taking regular family vacations to see everything from the Grand Canyon to Disneyland, and also nurtured in them all the love of fishing in Orr, MN, where Trudy was content to drop a fishing line in the water alongside Gene. While running a household, Trudy eventually went back to work, landing a job in advertising at Maple Realty in Lombard, IL where she proudly worked until retiring to Brooksville, FL with Gene in 1978. Never one to sit still for long, Trudy threw herself into volunteer work during her retirement years, donating her time and talents to the Day Star program run by her church, acting as treasurer of the Brookridge Community Garden Club, and volunteering at the local hospital. In doing so, Trudy established many strong and enduring friendships. She also loved to play cards with friends, to craft and to do ceramics for her children and grandchildren and work in her yard. She was equally as happy taking trips to visit family as often as they could. In 2009, five years after Gene’s death, Trudy returned to the Chicago area to live with her eldest son in Bolingbrook, where she reveled in being close to the family once more. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene W. Racine, her brothers, Paul (late Mary), N. Edward (late Lucille) and John (late Amalia) Rees; her sisters, Catherine (late George) Striecher, Marie (late Robert) Kissam, Ann (late William) Dickinson, and Virginia (late Richard) Burke; a brother in-law, Vincent (late Mildred) Racine; and grandson’s, David Racine, Timothy Racine and Robert Racine Surviving are three sons, William (Kathy) Racine of Bolingbrook, IL, Thomas (Candy) Racine of Bloomingdale, IL, and Michael (Debbie) Racine of Lombard, IL; a daughter, Darlene Racine of Lombard, IL; and three step sons, Robert Racine, Richard (Patricia) Racine, both of Brooksville, FL, and Ronald Racine of Villa Park, IL; eleven grandchildren, Betsy Bushre, Brian (Sheri) Racine, Tracey Rhoden, James Racine, Nicholas (Holly) Racine, Kimberly (Frank) Hart, Kristopher Racine, Jason Racine, Jodi Racine, Kristina (Robert) Fowler, Jillian Crane; seventeen great-grandchildren, Nadine and Alyssa Bushre, Benjamin, Lucas and MacKenzie Racine, Caitlin and Ashley Rhoden, Ryne and Jason Racine, Frank and Madison Hart, Damien Proffitt, Harlie Racine, Marin and Wesley Racine, Chase and Cohen Fowler; and two great-great-grandchildren, Whyitt Soehrman, and Shea Racine. Gertrude also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and dear friends. In Lieu of Flowers donations to Seasons Hospice 2195 W. Diehl Rd. Naperville, IL 60563 would be appreciated.

Gertrude M Racine

January 8, 2015