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12/21/2016 07:30 AMYou might recognize this vibrant 100 year-young woman from Clinton’s 350th anniversary parade, in which she dressed up in period clothing and rode as a passenger in a very handsome 1914 Ford touring car, while doing her best beauty pageant wave. She traveled down the parade route in style, representing the historical society. She is Gertrude “Trudy” Stannard, and she recently celebrated a parade-worthy, milestone anniversary of her own; she turned 100 on Nov. 15, and her family room was transformed into a parade route of sorts as friends and family members kept a constant stream of visits going throughout the festive day.
“I never realized so many people knew when my birthday was,” says Trudy, a self-proclaimed “yacker” who still has her colorful “Happy 100” helium balloons dressing up her front porch, which is also where she keeps her green tomatoes waiting to ripen and her other treasured plants, many of which were birthday gifts.
Trudy is very well-known in town for her prolific green thumb and gardening prowess, gifts she has shared for many years through her work with the historical society garden and the Arbor Garden Club of Clinton, which recently dedicated its annual program to her, praising the gardening work she has done throughout town for the past 67 years. Trudy is also celebrated for her willingness to always help others enjoy the gardening hobby she has devoted so much time and effort to over the years.
Although her mobility is a bit compromised these days—she is using a walker to help her get around—Trudy still finds a way to keep up with her beloved flowers and plants. This is evident in her cozy home, which is peppered with her dried roses and honesty plants, antique flower vases, terrariums, cacti, miniature orchids on her kitchen windowsill, and her prized cyclamen, which she is very proud of keeping alive for so long.
“The trick is to put the water in a container under the plant so it can suck it up. If you water it from the top, it will die,” says Trudy, who is still teaching others how to care for plants.
Trudy’s love of gardening has always brought her peace and happiness, especially during difficult times. For instance, it helped her get through the death of her husband, who she knew since she was 16. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1964, after the two were married for only 15 years. Trudy had to take the reins for the family and raise her two children, Larry and Linda, by herself.
“Everyone is doing well and happy now, so I guess we won,” says Trudy, who says a positive attitude, regular exercise, and staying healthy are the reasons she has made it to the ripe age of 100, while remaining upbeat and happy.
“I do have people who come help me, and drivers who take me to my appointments and the gym,” says Trudy.
Her gym doubles as the physical therapy she goes to twice a week at a nearby medical facility. There, she explains, she works on her balance.
“Everyone always thinks I am taller than I am, but I am not, I just work very hard on making sure I stand up straight,” says Trudy, who enjoyed playing basketball during high school, as well as when she worked in Washington, D.C. for the Treasury Department. She adds that people are usually surprised when they find out how old she is because she doesn’t look 100.
“Well, I stand up straight, I don’t walk hunched over, even though I do use a walker, and I try not to dress like a 100 year-old,” says Trudy, giving away her secrets. “You know, it’s funny, when you are younger no one ever wants to tell people how old they are. Now that I am older, I don’t care. I tell everyone.”
Trudy explains that the best part about being 10 decades old is “everyone is nice to you and does their best to help you out.”
Watching the world change and transform over the past 100 years, Trudy says she has a seen a lot of hurricanes in her shoreline home, but Irene was the only one, over the past 67 years, that prompted her to leave her coastal spot.
“That was amazing to me. We always have had storms, but that one was a real troublemaker,” says Trudy.
She says one of the biggest technological changes that she has witnessed over the past 100 years, which affected her life dramatically, was the electric mixer, which made it much easier for her to whip up a batch of her famed blueberry muffins and secret pumpkin pie recipes.
“I always loved to make my special pies in fall. It’s my favorite season,” says Trudy pensively. “I guess maybe because my birthday is in November, so that always makes it special. But I think it’s more because I just love the fall colors, everything looks beautiful.”
Along with being an avid gardener and volunteer in town, Trudy has also always enjoyed feeding the birds in her front yard, as well as reading her favorite local paper, the Harbor News.
“Yes, I wait for that paper every week and read it right through. It’s the best!” says Trudy.