Astrid "Trudie" Violet (Monson) (Gallagher) Abbott

After more than 100 joyful years of life, Astrid departed on her final journey October 30, 2022, with loving friends and family wishing her fair winds.  Astrid was born February 11, 1922, in Meteor, Wisconsin.  Her Swedish parents, Evald and Anna, welcomed her arrival during a blizzard which left snow up to the top of the fence posts.  She was the second of three children.

The family relocated to Illinois where Trudie attended St. John's Evangelical Lutheran School in Forest Park, then graduated from Privoso Township High School in Maywood, IL in 1939.  Astrid was never happy with her given name and eventually gave herself the nickname "Trudie".  After graduation Trudie and two of her dear girlfriends borrowed a car and drove to Yellowstone.  This was the start of many adventures abroad for Trudie.

After working briefly at Sears and Montgomery Wards in Chicago, Trudie served for 2 years in Japan and Guam with the American Red Cross.  Trudie returned to the United States and worked in various US Government Civil Service positions across the country. During this period Trudie married her first husband, Harry Gallagher, a retired Army Colonel. Harry and Trudie settled in Carlisle, MA and Trudie began her long career at the Watertown Arsenal.  Harry passed after 29 years of marriage.

Shortly thereafter, Trudie became a cherished friend of George and Nadine Bishop and their children. Together, they celebrated all of life's important events, big and small.  Trudie and multiple generations of Bishops know and love one another as family.

Trudie eventually retired in 1982 as Chief of Technical Reports at the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center at the Arsenal in Watertown, MA. Before her retirement Trudie met her late husband, Kenneth Abbott, and the two were married in 1983.  They purchased their "forever home" in Concord, MA where they returned after extensive travels around the world.  These trips frequently included visits with Swedish or Scottish relatives, and always involved golf at a variety of links.  Their favorite courses were Royal Dornoch in Ardgay Scotland and Sugarloaf in Stratton, Maine.  While golf was clearly their favorite sport, they also belonged to the Watertown Arsenal Bowling league for many years. Kenneth passed in 2017 after 32 years together.

In addition to golf and bowling, Trudie enjoyed crafts such as baking, knitting, and needle work. She embroidered a lovely bureau scarf for her mother when she was only 8 years old, and created a tradition of knitting a blanket to welcome new babies to her loved ones' families. Trudie is remembered by friends and family for her spectacular baked treats and for the hundreds of jars of jam she and Ken made with a group of close friends each year.

Trudie was a charter member of the Lutheran Church of The Savior in Bedford, MA. There she served on the Church Council, sang in the choir, and volunteered at the Central Food Ministry in Lowell, MA. Trudie viewed the Lord as her Savior.

Love of Trudie's family and friends was a central part of her life.  In addition to her parents, husbands, brothers, step-daughter, niece, and godson, Trudie was predeceased by many dear friends. She is survived by her nieces, Karen Stanley and Jeanne Day, step-son Harry Gallagher and wife Donna; and step-son, Jeff Abbott, his wife, Lena, and their son, Sam, of University City, Washington; several nieces and nephews, the extended Bishop family, and a strong following of dear friends.  All will miss Trudie along with her wisdom, compassion, talent, humility, humor, spirituality, and great sense of propriety.  We are blessed to have had her in our lives.

Services will be held at 2:00 PM, on Friday, November 4, at Lutheran Church of the Savior, 426 Davis Road, Bedford MA.  A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choosing.