Trudy Conner Christian, 80, most recently of Bedford, NH passed away Friday, September 24th, 2021. She was born on February 19th, 1941 in Derry, NH, daughter of the late Alfred and Marjory (Lockett) Conner. Trudy graduated from the Keene Teachers College in Keene, NH and University of NH Durham where she received her Master’s in Teaching. She also did doctoral studies at the University of Miami. She spent many years teaching, starting in Wilton, NH and then in Naples, FL. Trudy started teaching first grade with a focus on reading and then later in Florida focusing on Adult Education assisting adults in obtaining their GED, building math and reading skills to go into trades at Collier County Vocational Technical School, and then later working with juveniles in jail, in the court system and in the classroom to get their GED. Over the course of her teaching career, she touched many lives from many nationalities and backgrounds while making lasting impressions on her students. Trudy also built reading programs the last of which was with the University of Wisconsin. She was very passionate about teaching and often mentioned how much she loved teaching and her students.
Trudy was very active in her churches wherever she lived from teaching Sunday School, to being the Acolyte Mistress, to manning the phones and being the church secretary, cooking and serving at many a luncheon or dinner along with helping to drive fellow parishioners to appointments. She was a long-time active member of The Order of the Daughter’s of the King and The Order of the Daughters of the Holy Cross. She was known for her sewing and knitting skills, many the outfit, hat, sweater or mittens she made for family and friends.
After retiring from Collier County Public Schools, she split her time between Florida (and later North Carolina) and Sandy River Plantation, Maine. In Maine, she volunteered at the local Eco-Venture camp and was an invasive water plant monitor. She spent many hours on and in her beloved Long Pond now known as Beaver Mountain Lake checking and monitoring for invasive plants, participating in the annual loon count with a little friendly side competition with a friend of who’s loons had how many babies and how many babies survived. One of her greatest thrills that she spoke about was being able to go out one night and help band the loons on her beloved pond. She was also active in the Rangeley Region Guides' and Sportsmen's Association and loved to attend their pot luck dinners and listen to the monthly speakers.
She is survived by her son, Timothy Christian and his wife Debbie, her beloved grandson Conner Christian, her daughter, Amanda Christian, her sister Gretchen Hicks and sister-in-law, Nancy Conner, as well as many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Following cremation, a memorial graveside service will be held on Monday October 4, 2021 at 1:30pm at Glenwood Cemetery, Mammoth Rd., Londonderry. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (https://www.rlht.org/). To send a condolence or for more information, please visit www.peabodyfuneralhome.com