Trudy Delory

We deeply grieve the passing of Trudy Delory, a lifelong resident of Wakefield and West Harwich, MA on October 10, 2023 in Providence, RI.  A devoted and loving daughter, treasured sister, aunt and friend, her accomplishments as a beloved teacher, committed union leader, elected public official, community volunteer and unmatched creative force will long be remembered by generations of Wakefield students and families.  

Preceded in death by her loving parents F. Leo and Jeanne Marie (Bowen) Delory, and her beloved brother Mark, she is survived by her sisters and brothers:  Catherine Delory Brody (Dr. Jeffrey M.) of Barrington, RI; F. Leo Jr (Janice) of West Harwich, MA; Mary Delory Piechocki (Ben) of Reading, MA; Ann Delory Miller (Andrew) of Potomac Falls, VA; Michael of Wakefield, MA and sister-in-law Julie Cardillo Delory of Wakefield, MA.  We will miss her forever.  Trudy was adored by her nieces and nephews including the Brodys - Colin (Dr. Kara) of Stafford, VA and Maeve of McLean, VA; the Dechants - Laura (Eric) of Waltham, MA, Annie Ames (Christopher) of Wakefield, MA and Ellen of Reston, VA;  and the Delorys - Margaret Delory Leahy (Thomas) of Wakefield, MA, Eileen of Medford, MA, Joseph of Edgartown, MA and Mark Jr of Wakefield, MA. Trudy was cherished by her grand-nephew, Henry Ames of Wakefield, MA.  She is also survived by her uncle John Bowen (Mary Lou) of Longmeadow, MA and generations of cousins from the Bowen, Delory, Butler/Cutler, Sullivan, Hartigan and Aspell families.

A graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School and Boston College, Trudy earned her Masters Degree in Counseling from Cambridge College.  She LOVED Wakefield and loved being a teacher; she worked in the Wakefield Public Schools for her entire professional career with the majority of that time spent at the Galvin Middle School.  She was a proud member and elected officer of the Wakefield Education Association/NEA, serving as Vice President and President during her long tenure.  Even in retirement, Trudy continued to serve her union sisters and brothers, supporting them in grievance meetings while continuing to mentor new educators.  Family was everything to Trudy, and that includes her WEA family as well as the incredible workers, past and current, of the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department (WMGLD).  Trudy’s youngest brother Mark was a lifelong employee of WMGLD.   After his tragic death in 2006, Trudy focused her considerable talents and energy supporting Mark’s children, not only day to day, but through the Mark Delory Children’s Trust, the annual Mark Delory Memorial Golf Blast and the hockey and gymnastics scholarships established in his name.   

Trudy was proud of her public service as a Selectman for the Town of Wakefield, and took those responsibilities seriously.  Her community service continued after her time in elected office concluded, as she spent many years coordinating and supporting Wakefield’s chapter of the Salvation Army.

Trudy’s life was defined by joy, generosity, optimism and unlimited love for her family and friends.  To know Trudy was to be embraced by her - literally.  She loved to welcome friends and family to her homes, always with delicious food for body and soul. No one who ever had one of her scones or lemon poppyseed cakes will ever forget the magic of Trudy’s talents in the kitchen! Trudy was a tireless creative force of nature; from repurposing old furniture to spectacular resin work, she never stopped sharing her gifts with others.   She never stopped making lifelong friends - from Wakefield to West Harwich and everywhere in between, Trudy’s friends are legion and loving and she treasured them all.

Trudy received outstanding cutting-edge medical care as a patient of Paul DiSilvestro, MD and Cara Mathews, MD at the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island/Brown University.  She felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in Clinical Trials during her treatment and she appreciated the gracious expertise of her entire clinical care team.  Trudy was proud of her contributions to advance cancer care through research that will improve the health of women in the future.

Trudy had an extraordinary experience as an in-patient at the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence, RI.   Her final days were spent there under the excellent care of Jacob Ramos, MD and an exceptional multidisciplinary team of compassionate patient and family-centric nurses, certified nursing assistants and social workers.         

Trudy’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 28, at 10:00 am at St. Joseph’s Church, 173 Albion Street, Wakefield MA with burial to follow at Forest Glade Cemetery, 470 Lowell Street, Wakefield, MA.  At Trudy’s request, there will be no visitation.  Arrangements are in the care of McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield.

Those who wish to honor Trudy’s memory are invited to consider a contribution to the Women and Infants Hospital Program in Women’s Oncology, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905 or to HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904.