Gertrude 'Trudy' Blanche King

Gertrude Blanche King, 91 years old, gained her angel wings in the early morning hours on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at the Tri-Valley Hospital, Cambridge, NE.

Trudy was born on November 25, 1925 to Charley and Crescenty (Balius) Clapp, the third of 10 children.  She graduated from McCook High School and later married Bernard “Bud” King of Bartley on January 31, 1946 in a double wedding ceremony in Oberlin, KS with sister, Gladys, and Wendell Liston.

Bud and Trudy made a home together on a farm north of Barley, and to this union were born three children – Diana, Bradley and Darryn.  The family moved into Bartley Township and later relocated to Hamlet, NE for two years.  They returned to Bartley again and thrived there until Bud was killed in a farm accident on March 14, 1969.  Trudy faced many difficult challenges in her life –losing her husband so tragically at a young age, losing a home to a fire, and the death of her beloved son, Brad, in 2002 to multiple myeloma cancer.  Through all this, Trudy held fast to her faith remaining strong and courageous.

Trudy loved to travel and experience new adventures.  She was blessed in her life to share fun trips to various designations: Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, Mexico as well as Hawaii.  Her door was always open and the coffee pot was on for anyone who might drop by when she lived at her home in McCook.  She also enjoyed her job as Amsco representative (advertising supplies); she made many friends in the community and hated to give this up when she could no longer safely drive.  She treasured family and friends and so appreciated visits with everyone in her later years spent at Tri-Valley Assisted Living Facility and Cambridge Manor.

Trudy lived a full life enriched greatly by family and friends.  She passed away quietly with dignity and is reunited with the love of her life, Bud, her beloved son, Brad, parents and brothers and sisters who have gone on before.  Trudy is greatly loved and will be sorely missed, but she leaves behind a plethora of precious memories and a legacy of treasured family: daughter, Diana Probasco and husband, Gary of Jefferson, CO; a son, Darryn King of McCook; daughter-in-law, Vicki King (Brad’s wife) of Grand Island, NE; her six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren were, of course, in her eyes the smartest, most beautiful and handsome ever: Gregg Probasco and partner, Rocky Billups of Nashville, TN; Brooke Probasco and her daughter, Jaedyn of Johnstown, CO; Joey Ruff and husband, Keith and their sons, Ethan, Colton and Gavin of Grand Island; Kori Deleon and husband, Bobby and their daughter, Jade of Katy, TX; Jeremy King of McCook and children, Kayla of Broken Arrow, OK and James of Indianola; Kameron King and family, Alyssa and Kaden of Duluth, MN.

Farewell, Mom…we love you and we will miss you, but thank you for setting the example, for raising us all to be strong, to face challenge and to survive. We will be okay because of you.  So now, go with God and fly with the angels!

Visitation will be from 4:00 – 8:00 PM on Friday, August 11, 2017 at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home with Pastor Jeff Wulf officiating.   Burial will be in the Bartley Cemetery.

Memorials may be given in her name.