Gertraude Wendel

Gertraude “Traudy” Wendel, 74, of County Road 10A, Norwich, passed away Sunday, February 2, 2014, at Chenango Memorial Hospital with her family at her side.

Born October 18, 1939, in Hainmuehlen, Germany, Gertraude was the daughter of Hugo and Gretchen (Brinkhof) Schnedermann. After graduating from secondary school, she attended nursing school in Ostfriesland and earned a professional degree as a registered nurse.

In December 1960, after influence by her sister, Traudy moved to America by taking the “Bremen” ship. While in America, she worked at several hospitals in New York City as a registered nurse. In 1962, she met her future husband, Robert D. Wendel, and on May 5, 1964, in Hempstead, Long Island, Gertraude and Robert were married. Robert predeceased Traudy on December 30, 2003.

Gertraude continued her nursing career until deciding to raise her two daughters at home full time. After her children were grown, Traudy worked in various retail settings until her employment as a nurse’s aide in the Ashlar Nursing Home in Newtown, CT. She retired from the nursing home in the early 1990s.

In 1998, Gertraude and her husband moved from Connecticut to be nearer to their family in Norwich. Traudy spent much of her retirement antiquing, for which she had a real passion. Traudy and her grandson often sold antiques at local antiques shows, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Along with antiquing, she was often adding to her collections of roosters and yellow Volkswagens. Traudy greatly enjoyed listening to Elvis and German music and loved to be surrounded by her family at backyard barbeques, around the pool, and at family dinners. More recently, Traudy resided with her family in Norwich where she enjoyed the company of her daughter and family.

Gertraude is survived by daughters, Denise Antonowicz and her husband Michael of Norwich, and Jeanette Bushell and her husband Donald of Hopatcong, N.J.; four grandsons, Matthew, Robert and John Antonowicz, and Donald Bushell; and a sister, Hilde S. Muerrle and her husband Herman of Clermont, FL.. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 8, 2014, at the Wilson Funeral Home, where Rev. Brian Conover, pastor, of the Calvary Baptist Church, will officiate. Friends are invited to call at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will take place in the spring at St. Paul’s Cemetery.

Contributions in memory of Gertraude may be made to the American Lung Association at 155 Washington Avenue, Suite 201, Albany, NY 12210, or to Hospice & Palliative Care of Chenango County, 21 Hayes Street, Norwich, NY 13815.