Geertruida Francisca Catherina van Herwijnen Montgomery, “Trudy”, age 80, of Centerville, Ohio, passed away on June 4, 2022 at Brighton Gardens of Washington Township.
Trudy was born on May 4, 1942 in Zeist, Netherlands to Willem and Francisca van Herwijnen. Trudy, the eldest of 3 girls, spent her childhood in the Netherlands and came to the United States in 1960 as an exchange student at Germantown High School. While attending Germantown, Trudy lived with her foster parents, John and Irene Swartzel. After a brief time back in the Netherlands, Trudy returned to Dayton and gained employment at the NCR Corporation from which she retired in 2002. Trudy remained deeply connected with her parents, sisters, and extended family in the Netherlands throughout her life and cherished her Dutch heritage.
Trudy married Donald Charles Montgomery on May 20, 1967 at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Kettering, Ohio. Trudy took great pride in her home, as she and Don earned several beautification awards from the City of Bellbrook over the course of the 53 years they owned the home. Trudy was heavily involved with St. Francis of Assisi Parish on the parish council, in the choir, and employed as the parish secretary. Trudy enjoyed reading, music, theater, swimming, and most of all her grandchildren who called her “Oma”. She received great joy out of reading and singing to them in Dutch and was looking forward to her eldest granddaughter Katey’s wedding which took place on the day of her death.
Trudy was preceded in death by her parents Wim and Cis and her husband Don. She is survived by her children Kristina Montgomery Kremer (Kevin) and Derek Joel Montgomery (Darian), her grandchildren Kathlyene Rose Stone (Carson), Samuel Duncan Nicholas Montgomery, Anna Frances Shui Kremer, Jackson Montgomery Kremer, and Lucy Yunying Kremer, sisters Margo van Herwijnen and Mieke Blanksma (Piet), nephews Gerben Blanksma (Tamara) and Kasper Blanksma (Simone), cousin George van Drie (Willemijn), and close friends Joseph (Skip) and Jeannette Fromm.
The family will have a private graveside service the morning of June 23, 2022. A Celebration of Life will take place the same day from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church, 6245 Wilmington Pike, Centerville, OH, 45459. Please join to celebrate Trudy with food, drink, music, and stories. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Trudy’s memory be made to Day City Hospice of Washington Township or St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church.
