- Date Of Birth: March 28, 1942
- Date Of Death: March 1, 2022
- State: Connecticut
Mary Lou (Stankard) Trudel (she preferred to be called Mary), 79, of Portland, CT, passed away on March 1st, 2022.
A lifelong Connecticut resident, Mary was born in Stamford, and graduated with distinction from both Sacred Heart Academy and St. Vincent’s School of Nursing (NYC). She built a challenging career as a psychiatric nurse while raising three stubborn kids and partnering with her husband as a supporter of many worthy causes and organizations, including the Vietnam-era baby evacuations, Friends of Children, and Americares. Always one of the Helpers, she also played the role of neighborhood nurse while living in Fairfield; Mary’s was the house all of the kids frequented in order to have their skinned knees and sprains patched up so they could race back outside to keep playing. She relished being a mother, and as a skilled and inventive seamstress, she made professional-quality costumes for her kids’ school plays, matching outfits for dolls before American Girl owned the idea, created award-winning Halloween costumes, knitted a special blanket for every baby born to her extended family, and enjoyed several “bonus children” who considered her their second mom. She was a lover of books, an absolutely voracious reader, and no matter where she lived, listed the local library as a favorite haunt. A dedicated supporter of the arts, Mary encouraged her children to nurture their varied creative passions, was always up for the next chance to get to the theatre to see plays or ballet, and loved to have great music playing in her house. Mary was a powerful patient advocate in any medical situation, and spent her adult life making sure those in her charge received top-notch care; her presence in the room always made a positive difference, she was not to be trifled with.
As a lifelong learner, she expressed a desire to go to law school in her third chapter, which would have made her an even more enjoyable debater than she already happened to be. Mary was a beautiful person, a wife, a mom, a sister, a seasoned professional, a good neighbor, a hilarious conversationalist, a grandmother, a soon-to-be great-grandmother, and a true friend: someone who would come find you in the middle of the night if you needed help. She was fearless when it came to stepping up for her loved ones, and would also make darn sure you were wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day. She spent the last years of her life surrounded by wonderful neighbors in Portland.
Mary will be remembered for so many things: her fierce loyalty to her friends and family, her quirky sense of humor, her amazing Christmas cookies and dangerously irresistible pecan pies… and especially her boundless love for her children and grandchildren.
Mary was predeceased by her husband, Robert P. Trudel, as well as her parents, William and Mary Stankard, her sister Patricia Stankard, and nephew, Matthew Pritchard. She is survived by her children, Eric, Michelle, and Scott, her sisters Helen Pritchard, Eileen DiRosa, and Tara McBride, her brother William Stankard, multiple nieces and nephews, children-in-law Aaron and Mandy, and her granddaughters, Serena and Adelina.
St.
155 Washington Street
Middletown, CT
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