Trudy M. (Nauta) Cameron, the beloved daughter of the late Jan P. and Gonda (Dersjant) Nauta passed away peacefully on March 18, 2024 at the age of 87.
Trudy was born on August 14, 1936 and raised in The Netherlands. As a young girl, she lived in the city of Delft and survived the invasion of Nazi Germany in her small country during WWII. She had to travel 25 minutes to and from school twice a day by bicycle as the bombings began at the start of the invasion. School was eventually suspended as the war carried on and her education would not resume until the war ended. Trudy and her family had endured starvation, house searches by Nazi soldiers and dangerous journeys by bicycle to other villages during the war. She had many memories and stories to tell from that time and admired the bravery of her father, grandmother and countless others. Her fondest memory was receiving a small piece of chocolate from a kind soldier at the end of the war in 1945 when the Americans and Canadians came to their rescue. These events impacted her greatly and shaped her into the strong woman that she became.
By 1954, Trudy moved with her family to the United States. Her father had been offered a job opportunity and accepted. They resided in New London, CT where she worked waitressing at a local Howard Johnson’s hoping to learn English at a quick pace. Trudy had English as a foreign language in school but always said that working this job really helped her master the language. She immediately fell in love with the American way of life and made friends quickly. However, after only one year, her family decided to return to The Netherlands. Knowing how disappointed Trudy was with that decision, her father offered her the chance to return to the U.S. if she agreed to enroll in further education or a trade school. Trudy chose to attend a hairdressing school in Hartford, CT where she met her very good friend Hermine. Hermine and her husband Karl had immigrated from Germany. They immediately felt a strong connection as recent immigrants from that part of the world and struck up a great lifelong friendship. She enjoyed many good times together with them at the local German Saengerbund Club where they sang and danced. In 1959, Trudy, along with her
friends Hermine and Karl, officially became U.S. Citizens.
Trudy married in 1962 and had two children. She and her young family eventually moved to Norfolk, Massachusetts in 1971. Trudy loved the game of bridge and sought out a local bridge group when she moved to Norfolk and met a lot of new friends. She continued to play with that group for years. Divorced in 1975, and as a single mother, she started her return to work selling Avon door to door for a year or so. By 1977, she started working at The Foxboro Company where she worked many long hours including weekends. She worked there for 20+ years until she was offered an early retirement in 1998.
In 2000, she had the good fortune to move to West Palm Beach, FL where she walked her dog, Rodney, and got to know a lot of people within her gated community. She embraced the Florida lifestyle and enjoyed it for 20 years. She played bridge, mahjong, went to the movies, performing arts center, and shoppes. In her down time, she sat working on many classic Dutch cross stitch patterns and famous paintings. She framed and gifted all of them to family as part of her legacy. She especially delighted in hosting winter family vacations with her children and grandchildren. Independent as she was, she and her dog, Rodney, were known to make road trips up to Massachusetts to visit during the summer months.
By fall of 2020, it was time to return to Massachusetts due to health concerns with chronic back issues and advancing dementia. Heartfelt thanks to all who cared for Trudy at Anthology of Millis Memory Care. And, special thanks to Compassionate Care Hospice as well as Chrisla and her team from Home Comfort Care.
Trudy is survived by her son, Joseph V. Cameron and wife Rebecca A. of Wrentham, MA and daughter, Melissa and husband John P. Hudson of Norfolk, MA. She is also survived by her grandchildren Richard J. Hudson, Joseph (Jay) V. Cameron, Jr., Nicole E. Hudson and Gianna M. Cameron. She is also survived by her sister, Maya Myers and husband Douglas of Berlin, CT.
She is predeceased by her brother George J. Nauta who died in 2009.
Her funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 21 in the Ginley Funeral Home of Franklin (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com) 131 Main Street, Franklin at Noon.
Calling hours will be on Thursday from 10:00 – Noon in the funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.