George Trudeau, 98

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — George Andrew Trudeau died in Palmetto, Fla. on Sept. 16, 2020. He was 98 years old.

He was born in North Adams on Sept.  9, 1922. He was raised on the family farm on FranklinStreet and was the middle of nine children of Ernest Trudeau and Elise Lemoine Trudeau. 

He was industrious and enterprising, holding many jobs as a young man. When he was in high school, he published a newspaper called The Franklin Gazette. 

He then attended New York University until he joined the Navy. 

For a time, he sold advertising for the New York Times. He attended Officer Candidate School at Harvard and Colgate Universities and was commissioned as an Ensign. He served in the Philippines.

After the war, he completed his education, married, had two children, and began a career in insurance and sales. 

He married a second time in Sept. of 1960 and had another child. He worked for the Prudential Insurance Company for many years and retired in 1993. 

He and his wife moved to Bradenton, Fla. where some of his siblings had also retired. He adored his large extended family and strove to spend time with them whenever possible. He was an avid golfer until just a few years ago. He followed politics and the news fervently and loved discussing the topics of the day.

He is survived by the love of his life, wife Kerstin S. Trudeau; daughters Elise Trudeau Zappas, Dana Trudeau and Anna Trudeau-Smith, two sons-in-law; Michael Ares and Mike Smith, seven grandchildren; Lee Zappas and his wife Megan Colombaroni, Nick Zappas and his wife Shelly Zappas, Jesse Fiorito and his wife Lindsay Fiorito, Harlan Fiorito, Hannah Smith and her husband Matt Kimmey, Andrew Smith and Patrick Smith. He also had two great-grandchildren, Olive and Margot Zappas, one surviving brother, Clem, and many nieces and nephews. He and Kerstin were married for 60 years.

Funeral Notice: There will be no service at this time but there are plans to celebrate his life at a virtual Trudeau Family reunion on Saturday, Sept. 26.