Trudi(Legal:Gertrude Stigge:
CLASS OF 1966
Concordia Teacher's CollegeClass of 1966
Seward, NE
Trudi(Legal:Gertrude's Story
Came to OK in Aug/66 to teach at same school where I did my student teaching (Jan/66). Married Jim Stigge in 1967, a member of the congregation who had just finished his 3 yr+ term in the Navy. Taught Kdgn for 3 years before we moved to British Columbia, Canada, in 1969 and back to OK in 1976. Enlarged our family during those 7 years: Jared Kent, now 38, (Anchorage, Alaska) and Dayle Marie Lydia, now 36 (Twin Falls, Idaho). Son-in-law, Jeff, and 2 precious granddaughters: Lydia 9 and Allie 4 1/2. Also lost our first baby girl before Jared while in BC........
"Moved" from teaching 6th grade (1977-1985) at First Luth Sch to 7th grade English at East Junior High in 1985. Taught 7th grade English for 8 years, and then civics/social studies/history (not bad for an original Canadian, huh?) for 12 more years before retiring in 2005.
That fall I "unretired" to teach Title I Language Arts and Math back at First Lutheran. Retired again 2006. Husband Jim had been diagnosed with MMD2 that same spring -- a type of muscular dystrophy. We decided we'd spend time together, travel etc. while we could. (I had had a stroke in 2003 and fortunately have been left only with a left side that is "asleep" but quite functional, thank you, Lord--no one notices that malady). Jim then became "obsessed" (term is used lovingly!) with joining Laborers for Christ. I consented reluctantly, and plans were made to head in March /2007 to help other Lutherans (LFC) help rebuild New Orleans after Katrina.
However, Feb. 2007 brought devastating news. Jim was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. The next year and a half was spent between MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, OK. But, Jim was not going to be deterred from his March/07 goal, and in Oct/07, after initial chemotherapy and experimental drugs AND some wonderful regression of the cancer, we towed our travel trailer down to NO and spent the next 5 months there until end of March/08. At that point, Jim had become too weak and ill to work, so we headed back home. He continued to spiral downwards, and on August 5 of last year, he stepped into glory . We had celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in the prior...Expand for more
December.
The next 8 months became a nightmare for me, not just reeling from the loss of my companion and best friend, but because of the avoidable mistakes of and ignorance by corporations, social security, phone company, health insurance, etc. etc. etc. in trying to resolve simple, mundane, and routine tasks. Yes, we had a trust and will -- all "our ducks were in a row" financially. That, I found out, does not prevent the idiocy of people on the other end of the phone line when one is trying to resolve issues regarding a death. After other widows shook their heads and couldn't believe my entanglements, I decided that God might be allowing these frustrations to happen so my mind would be occupied in other ways besides total grieving.
I'm told (by the majority) that the first year after the loss of a spouse is the worst. I'm counting on that! During the loss of our first child, my brother, both sets of parents, Jim was my anchor. Now the anchor is gone.
And.....13 1/2 months later.....I'm trying to pick up the pieces by staying busy with various church activities including Board of Care Ministries, 2 day time Bible studies, 2 different monthly Bible studies, Guild, LWML, attending and sometimes cooking for our church's monthly Caregivers group, helping with our local community "Grandparents Raising Grandkids", ready to begin volunteering with Domestic Violence, and currently, "weeding" the inside of the house (reducing "inventory") with hopes of having a garage sale before the snow flies! Hopefully my kids will consider that a blessing when they have to deal with my departure! No, I'm not trying to brag by mentioning all those activities ....listing them is a way of keeping me focused on the many blessings that I do still have.
I continue to pray for a daily peaceful and joyful heart, and at this point, percentages of those requested gifts are present. And I thank God for the many blessings which so often are taken for granted: seeing, hearing, walking, some wonderful friends, a wonderful neighbor lady, physical and mental functioning (although at times I think I do have at least "Partsheimers" of "Halfseimers").
Just read Myra Ludwig Patterson's story and decided I'd tell mine!
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