Gertrude "Trudy" L. Wallace

Gertrude “Trudy” Wallace, 95, passed through the gates of heaven and into the arms of Jesus on Thursday, April 15th at the Pioneer Healthcare Center in Rocky Ford, where she had been a resident for over six years. Visitation will be Tuesday, April 20th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 21st at 10:00 a.m. at the Cheraw United Methodist Church with Pastor Tom Dudley officiating. Internment will be at Fort Lyon National Cemetery in Ft. Lyon, Colorado following service.
Gertrude Lucille Conard was born October 7, 1914 in King Center (near Olney Springs) in Crowley County, Colorado She was the second child in a family of six children born to Joseph Dayton & Edithe Grace (Glens) Conard.
She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Olney Springs High School in 1932.
In 1938, during the time of the Great Depression, Dust Bowl, small pox epidemic, and numerous other hardships of that generation, the opportunity to attend the University of Illinois was presented by her uncle James Conard who was an agronomist for the state of Illinois. She accepted this offer and lived in Illinois until after the end of World War II. She graduated from University of Illinois in 1942 with a BS degree in Home Economics and began her teaching career in Minier, IL. In 1946 she came back home to Colorado and continued teaching Home Ec. at La Junta High School from 1946-1948. On March 7, 1948 she was married to Ren A. Wallace, a Cheraw farmer and Marine Veteran of Wolrd War II, after only 3 weeks of courtship.
Ren and Trudy made their home and raised their two sons on the family farm east of Cheraw. In 1956 Trudy continued her career in education and began teaching 3rd grade at Cheraw School. During this time she earned an MA degree in Elementary Education from Adams State College. Ren and Trudy moved of the farm and into Cheraw in 1968. She retired from teaching in 1976. Her students included her two sons who were required to address her as “Mrs. Wallace” at home and at school during the time they were in the 3rd grade. She had fond memories of her many students and always enjoyed visiting them in later years.
Trudy was a member of the United Methodist Church in Cheraw and active in many church programs including Willing Workers and Sunday school where she taught for many years. She also made flowers arrangements for almost every Sunday service from 1955 until she moved from Cheraw to La Junta in 2001.
Trudy’s favorite hobbies included sewing and gardening. ……especially gardening. In her retirement years she also enjoyed painting and was active in the Fine Arts League and taught art classes in La Junta and competed in numerous art competitions. Trudy’s positive outlook and joyful spirit helped her to appreciate the miracles of life everyday in spite of any difficult circumstances that may have come her way.
   She is survived by her sons, Paul (Tatyana) Wallace of Pueblo, CO; Fred (Diana) Wallace of Geneseo, FL; sisters, Mary Bevard of Westminster, CO; Vera Garrett of La Junta; step-grandsons, Brian & Scott Huff; grandchildren, Eric Wallace, Andrew Wallace, Scott Wallace, and Audrey Wallace; six great-grandchildren; many nieces & nephews also survive.
  She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph & Edithe Conard; husband, Ren A. Wallace in 1985; sister, Virginia McBride; brothers, Robert & John Conard.
Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Those wishing to do so may make memorial contributions to the United Methodist Church in Cheraw, 204 South 4th St, Cheraw, CO, 81030 direct or through the funeral home.