KFWW - Gertrude Day page 2

In the late 1950s Gertie was living with Grossmama and Grosspapa, and I spent the summer of 1959 in Ruidoso. Gertie was the cook at the Cree Meadows Golf Course Clubhouse Restaurant, and I had a summer job as the dishwasher, so that meant I got to spend every day with her, and that entire summer was one long funny episode for me. I had just got my driver's license, and that summer Gertie bought a car and learned how to drive. Most memorably, she practiced driving in reverse by backing down a hill in zig-zag fashion, and we were both lucky that there was no on-coming traffic.

I spent the summer of 1963 in Abilene and stayed with Caroline and Ernest, and Gertrude and Grossmama were nextdoor, so I have more great memories of her. Elaine had divorced by then and she was also living in Abilene with her son Phil and daughters Pat and Dot.

I don't know how I'd deal with Gertie's stubbornness today. In the mid-1970s I attended a Fuchs-related family reunion near Marble Falls, and Gertie was there. I don't remember who brought her there, but I gladly offered to drive her back to Abilene in my VW Beetle. Gertie always smoked, and I just had to ignore that, although we had the windows open. I told her she needed to fasten her seatbelt, and she absolutely refused. She hated seatbelts. It was a war of wills, and I soon realized it was a lost cause and gave in. I just let her have her way (as usual) and enjoyed her delightful company.

After Grossmama's death in 1972, Gertie moved to Ellensburg, WA, and lived with Elaine. They hosted the Fuchs/Fox Family Reunion in Ellensburg in 1990.

Gertie was always laughing and it was just a joy to spend time with her. To this day I can still hear her laughter.