A Graveside Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. July 23, 2022 at St Joachim Cemetery (10500- 117 Street) in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
A Celebration of Life pasta supper will start at 3:30 pm on July 23, 2022. All who knew Grace or the family are invited to join us for memories and fellowship. Please contact us at marieamandatrudel@gmail.com for location and details.
An evening Prayer Service was held at 7:00 pm MST on Thursday, April 28, 2022 at Connelly McKinley Funeral Home (10011 114 Street NW Edmonton). To watch the livestream of the prayer service, please click here.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated at 11:00 am MST on Friday, April 29, 2022 at St. Matthew Catholic Church (13131 86 Street NW, Edmonton). To watch the livestream of the service, please click here.
With deepest sorrow we announce the death of Grace Elsie Trudel (nee: Short) of Edmonton at the age of 92 years.
Grace passed away in the early hours of the morning April 13, 2022 after a short hospitalization. Her loving family were with her through her hospital stay and at the time of her death.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edward AJ Trudel; parents: Eber and Ada; brother, Wilson; sisters, Mary Freeman and Evelyn Goodyear; niece, Ada Barefoot and nephew, Frank Short.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters, Marie Trudel (Sean) and Charmaine Trudel; her beloved granddaughter, Alicia Trudel; sister, Eileen (Walt) LeDrew; brother-in-law, Allan Freeman; nieces: Olive, Julia, Vera, Jennifer, Minette, Darlene and Brenda; and nephews: Eric, Harold, Jim, Ronald and Jeffrey. She also leaves to mourn many great nieces and nephews; as well as her caregivers, Joy, Henriette, and Katie and many friends and neighbors.
Grace was born 1930 in Terra Nova, Newfoundland to the late Eber and Ada Short. She grew up amongst the woodland interior of rural Newfoundland and trained as a teacher at Memorial University in St Johns, Newfoundland. She worked as a school teacher across Newfoundland and Labrador, and further afield in Ontario, the Northwest Territories and Sherwood Park AB. She was also a lifelong photographer and has collected images of the nature and people in many of the places where she has lived. Grace has travelled back to Newfoundland many times for visits and reunions.
Grace retired from her last teaching post in Sherwood Park at the age of 39 to become a full-time mother and wife many years because she met and married Edward, a veteran of the RCAF who had joined civilian life. Upon Edward’s retirement from Alberta Highways, Grace returned to work outside the home with Alberta Municipal Affairs and retired March 1994.
Following Edward’s death in 1996, Grace carried on and after a while, she returned to office work to connect with people and continued to volunteer, especially with the First Night festival in Edmonton.
While in her 80’s Grace became very interested in social media, internet shopping, and email and made extensive use of Facebook to connect with family to share memories, good wishes and recipes.
After a health crisis in 2014, Grace had to spend some time living at the Glenrose Hospital and continuing care facilities. She was able to move back home in 2019 and lived at home with Marie until the time of her death. During the pandemic Grace passed the time reading, exploring on her tablet, getting outside, chatting on the phone and taking trips to the mall.
Grace touched the lives of many children through her teaching, volunteering with youth groups and fundraising, especially for the Columbian Choirs of Edmonton.
Even though each day came with challenges and uncertainty, Grace was present to those around her, extending curiosity, kindness and gratitude.
If desired, charitable donations in memory of Grace can be made to Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation or The Royal Canadian Legion.
The family want to express our deepest gratitude to Grace’s exceptional caregivers, the Self Managed Care team at AHS including our case manager Lindsey for making the impossible possible, and the wonderful friends and neighbors at our condo community for the smiles, hellos and kindness shown to Grace.
Lee says
Sorry to hear of your loss marie. She sounds like a wonderful woman who was making the most out of life and teaching & helping others-much like you do.
Your friend & colleague.
Lee Furgason
Heather Bedford-Clooney says
Dear Marie and Charmaine,
I am sorry to hear about your mom. She was a lovely lady and a great volunteer for many causes, including the Edmonton Columbian Choirs. We will be forever grateful.
Heather Bedford-Clooney
Marie Trudel says
Thank you so much Heather for the kind words.
It is always hard to say goodbye. Grace was so loved.
Dave Kantor says
Very sorry to hear about your mother, Marie. My heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
My thoughts and prayers for you in this time of sorrow.
Henriette says
Henriette/ Caregiver
Sorry for the loss of your lovely mom Marie. As a Caregiver, I already miss her. Be strong and I know how much you took care to your mom. My family and I wish our sinceres condoleances to you and your love ones. We stay in prayers 🙏
Henriette says
Henriette/ Caregiver
Sorry for the loss of your lovely mom Marie. As a Caregiver, I already miss her. Be strong and I know how much you and Charmaine took care to your mom. My family and I wish our sinceres condoleances to you and your love ones. We stay in prayers 🙏
Reply
Lisa Warren says
I was sad to hear of your mom’s passing. My deepest sympathies to you, Charmaine and your family.
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Jennifer Lewis says
Dear Marie and Charmaine,
So sad to hear news of Aunt Grace’s passing. The photo of her is lovely, she reminds me so much of her mother.
Mom left us one year and a day before Grace. There will be sad days ahead but happy memories will bring you comfort.
Thinking of you all in this sad time,
Jennifer, Scott, Ben and Will
Janet Hammel says
My condolences Charmaine and Marie on the loss of your mother Grace ❤️ Also my condolences to Alicia on the passing of your grandmother Grace ❤️. My thoughts and prayers are with your family at this time. Janet
Aggie Colangelo says
So sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing! My condolences to you Marie and your family! ❤️
Olive Marie Bennett says
A few memories of aunt Grace. Aunt Grace was seventeen when I was born but was around a lot while I was growing up. When she was home I would sleep down at grandma’s house with her. She had those old record, small ones which she would play for me, one in particular was Skip to My Lou. You can still get it if you google. We would go for walks, one day we walked out the railway track and we saw a fox so we said we would go out to the area again the next evening and bring something for the fox to eat. We did go the next evening and when we turned around to go home, there on the track was a moose. I started to laugh, not realizing the danger. Aunt Grace said, don’t laugh get a rock. The moose moved of the track and went on it’s way, home we went but didn’t return to the spot. We would go fishing at times and once walked up to one mile to fish. It was chilly and she asked me to go back to grandma’s to get her sweater and I did, I was the only one to catch a trout and she was happy because I did go back to get her sweater. She had a hope chest with a set of dishes and one particular time she took them out and pretending to set the table on her bedroom floor. She pretended to talk to her husband. She told me once if she couldn’t have children she wouldn’t want to get married. I’m glad she met Ed and got married and had two daughters. My condolences to granddaughter, Alicia, daughters Charmaine, Marie & Sean. I would love to be there with you, but so far away. I will be there in my thoughts. Thinking of you.
Wole' Ladejoh says
Dear Marie and the family:;
This is Wole’ Ladejoh’s family sending a sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Grace Trudel. May Almighty God give entire family fortitude to bear the loss and May her soul rest in perfect peace.
Julia and Len Lynch says
It was so sad to hear of Aunt Grace’s passing. May she live on in your memories forever! Sincere condolences to Alicia, Charmaine, Marie and Sean.