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Gertrude Dorothy "Trudy" (Schroeder) Krisa
Oct 23, 1923 - Jun 15, 2014
Posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/

Gertrude “Trudy” Dorothy Krisa, 90, formerly of Norman, passed away Sunday, June 15, 2014 in Palm Harbor, Florida.  She was born October 23, 1923 to Karl and Sophie Schmidt Schroeder in Kraslice, Czechoslovakia.

Though she rarely spoke about it, World War II played a significant role in Trudy’s youth.  At age 16, Trudy buried her father alone after being forced to hide out with him in a friend’s attic in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.  Her younger brother and her Jewish mother were not permitted to travel to be with her.  Trudy was banned from finishing high school but survived the war by learning short hand and becoming a stenographer – translating documents into German for a local company.  Given her mother’s heritage, Trudy was not supposed to work, but her employers assured she was gone or hidden when Nazi officials arrived.

After immigrating to America in 1948 with her mother and brother, she worked as a baby nurse, seamstress and legal secretary.  She met Edward Krisa and married him July 24, 1954 in New York.  In 1970 the family moved to Norman, where Trudy worked first as a tailor and then at the aviation and journalism departments at the University of Oklahoma.  To her, though, the most important thing was being a mother and later a grandmother.  She excelled at both.  Hers was the house where all the kids wanted to play.

She loved needlework, baking, square dancing, and bridge and was a very active volunteer.  She knitted booties and hats for newborn babies for Norman Regional Hospital and worked in the gift shop there.  She learned Braille and worked on translations.  This is just a small list of what she did for others.

These are a few details that make up the framework of Trudy’s life but do not fully convey the character, intelligence, experiences and accomplishments of this remarkable woman.  She loved deeply and was deeply loved by everyone who knew her.  She was kind and patient, whether the going was easy or hard.  Trudy survived experiences most of us cannot imagine and yet taught by example that you do not build yourself up by tearing someone else down.  Trudy was beautiful from the inside out and will be missed forever.

Trudy was predeceased by her parents and siblings: brother, Gustav Schroeder and sister, Ilse Hormisher.

She is survived by Ed and their four children and spouses:  Tom Krisa and Corinne of Palm Harbor, Florida, Ken Krisa and Teresa of Midland of Texas, Peggy Krisa of Tulsa, and Bill Krisa and Edie of Poughkeepsie, New York.  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Lauren McAllister and Andrew of Dallas, Caroline Krisa of San Antonio, David Krisa, Darcy Krisa, Duncan Krisa, Shane Krisa, and Sarah Krisa; and sisters-in-law, Mary Pitelli of Fairfax, Virginia, and Carol Schroeder of Columbia, Maryland.

Services will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, June 20, 2014 at the Havenbrook Funeral Home Chapel, 3401 Havenbrook Street in Norman with interment immediately following at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Norman.