Gertrude (Trudy) Skripka Castonguay was born on November 18,1923 in Rosenberg, Texas. She grew up on the family farm with her parents Helen and Frank Skripka, five brothers, Joe, Jerry, Charlie, Walter, Pete, and four sisters Angela, Helen, Mary and Julia.
Trudy left the farm in 1942 to seek her fortune in Galveston, living with her sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Kermit Brown. She worked for Prudential Insurance Co. for one year, then due to WWII, Pan Am Oil Co. In Texas City (Amoco Oil Co.), with an all-male workforce, began hiring females. She was hired in the Accounting Department and with several promotions she worked there for 39 years, retiring in 1981. The majority of her time was spent as secretary to the office manager.
In 1945, she fell in love and married Bert, from Fall River, Massachusetts, who was stationed in the Coast Artillery at Ft. Crockett in Galveston. They were married for 55 years.
Trudy enjoyed gardening, fishing, and physical fitness. In her younger days, she loved to dance, go camping, play softball, bowl, coach her daughter’s softball team and participate in her son’s scouting activities. She was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church, where she served on the church board, the Queen of Peace Ladies Guild and the K.J.Z.T. Society.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Bert, and survived by children Paula Castonguay (Phil Ladewig) of Dallas, Philip Castonguay (Paula Renee) of Santa Fe, grandchildren Drew Castonguay of Santa Fe, Megan Castonguay Doyle (Sean) of Texas City, brother, Pete Skripka of Pasadena and numerous nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers are Drew Castonguay, Megan Castonguay Doyle, James Skripka, Ginger Palumbo, Michael Hartman and Terry Lemmond.
The family would like to thank Delores Batiste, Rose Bellow and Denise Swan for their tireless dedication and companionship to our mother.
Visitation will be on Sunday, November 23 from 5:00-7:00 pm, with a Vigil Service at 7:00 pm in the Chapel of the James Crowder Funeral Home in La Marque. Funeral service will be held at Queen of Peace Catholic Church on Monday, November 24, 2014 at 10:00 am with burial to follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Dickinson, Texas, with Father Chacko Puthumayil, officiating.
Family suggest that memorials be made to Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 1228 Cedar Drive, La Marque, Texas 77568