SPRINGFIELD – Wilfred L. Trudeau, 91, a longtime resident of Rathbun Street in the East Springfield section of Springfield, was Called Safely Home on Wednesday, December 10, 2014. He passed into Eternal Life at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke surrounded by the care and comfort of his comrades at arms and his wonderful caregivers. He was born at home on Washington Street in the Chicopee Falls section of Chicopee on May 25, 1923, a beloved son of the late Ernest E. and Delia (Gemme) Trudeau. He settled in the North End section of Springfield in 1933, graduated from the former Tech High School in Springfield and moved to East Springfield in 1948. He served his country in the United States Navy during World War II and attained the rank of Machinist Mate First Class. Wilfred served aboard the USS Melvin and was involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which was one of the largest Naval Battles in modern history. The USS Melvin was recorded as the Destroyer that sank the enemy battleship, Fusco. He received the World War II Victory Medal. Following his military service, he returned to Springfield and returned to work at the East Springfield plant of the former Westinghouse Corporation. Following their closing, he was employed as a processing methods engineer at Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks, CT. He was a communicant of the former Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Springfield and was one of the first parishioners at Saint Mary Church in East Springfield. He was currently a communicant of Mary, Mother of Hope Church in East Springfield. He was predeceased by his beloved wife and best friend, Jeanne M. (Plasse) Trudeau who was Called Home on July 7, 2013. They were married on October 12, 1943 at the former Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Springfield and were blessed with over 69 years of happiness together. He was also predeceased by his loving son, Roger R. Trudeau who was Called Home on July 4, 2008; his dear brother, Clarence Trudeau; and his dear sister, Jeannette Walz. He leaves his loving children, Donald E. Trudeau and his wife, Kimberly, of Venice, FL and Jacqueline R. Bejune and her husband, James, of Chicopee; his six cherished grandchildren, Shane Trudeau and his wife, Kelly, Eric Trudeau and his wife, Katie, Tara Roberts and her husband, Mike, Sharon Bejune and Stephanie Varga, Christopher Bejune and Ashley Bercume, and Jeffrey Bejune; his four cherished great-grandchildren, Justine and Zachary Trudeau and Ava and Noah Roberts; his dear brother-in-law, John Plasse and his wife, Doris, of Ludlow; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins and extended members of the Trudeau and Plasse families. His relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 10 a.m. at Mary, Mother of Hope Church, 840 Page Boulevard, East Springfield, MA 01104. His Burial with US Navy Military Honors will follow the Mass at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 421 Tinkham Road, Springfield, MA 01129. There are no visiting hours. His funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107. His family has requested that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Soldiers Home in Holyoke, 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke, MA 01040. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com