Trudy Thinnes

THINNES, Trudy
Kalamazoo Died on Saturday, Jan. 28. She was the oldest of three children born to Robert and Sally Johnson of Montague, coming into this world on March 16, 1943, in Muskegon. She graduated from Montague High School in 1961 and helped orchestrate the 50th reunion of that class last July. Her college education at Michigan State University was short-circuited by a case of mononucleosis and the fact that, by that time, she was engaged and decided to work building a financial nest for her pending marriage. She and Tom Thinnes exchanged wedding vows on Sept. 14, 1963. The Kalamazoo chapter of her life began in March of 1964 when Tom was hired as a reporter by The Kalamazoo Gazette. Once their three children were in school and free time loomed, she took a part-time job with the Kalamazoo Gazette Employees Credit Union, a stint that lasted 38 years. For two-thirds of that time, she served as its manager and oversaw an enormous growth in assets. Just before her retirement, Trudy engineered a merger with Kalsee Credit Union. Other than helping others manage their finances, she has: · Singlehandedly increased the population of miniature schnauzers in the United States. · Was an avid ceramicist and accumulated a yard full of goofy-looking gnomes to prove it. · Grew into a trophy-winning racquetball player, spurred on by her husband's statement that it would be a cold day in hell when she licked him on the court. That day set a record for a low temperature in Michigan. · Advanced from a passion for reading romance novels to a devoted viewer of Lifetime Network movies to such as extent that her husband thought Meredith Baxter and Cheryl Ladd were her sorority sisters with sordid tales to tell. · Proved that she was her father's daughter by designing and completing a variety of home-improvement projects at the Thinnes household in Kalamazoo and at her childhood home on White Lake. If you didn't move, you could be power-washed. · Enjoyed the myriad of shows as a season-ticket holder at Miller Auditorium. · Enjoyed being treated like the queen she was at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. · Evolved into a computer geek as epitomized by the 75-page, four-color, professionally designed and written booklet she produced that set the gold standard for 50th-reunion publication. Trudy is survived by her husband Tom of 48-plus years, her 90-year-old mother Sally, sister Roberta and her husband, Calvin "Hap" Cederquist, and by brother Robert T. P. Johnson and his wife, Susan. Her children are: Mike, Quality Engineer, Hi-Lex America, Inc.; Tommy, Recruiting and Outreach Manager for Western Michigan University's College of Aviation, and his wife, Stacy, Director of Corporate Relations for Western Michigan University Athletics; and daughter Vicky, Manager of Group Sales and Events, Tbonz Restaurant Group in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Other immediate survivors are grandchildren Trey, Taylor, Michael Jenny, Kayla, Nicklas and Kali, along with many nieces and nephews. A gathering to celebrate the life and times of an amazing woman, spouse, parent, sister, friend, neighbor and business professional will be held at the Blue Dolphin, 502 S. Burdick from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, with a special presentation scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. This will not be about how or why she died, but how she lived. Sometime in the spring, a second celebration will be held at the family's "75 Feet of Heaven" overlooking White Lake in Montague. In lieu of flowers or food, the family requests that memorials can be made in Trudy Jo's name to the West Michigan Cancer Center or Caring Bridge at caringbridge.org/visit/trudyjothinnes. Forewarned is fair-warned. If you choose to join us for her celebration of life at the Blue Dolphin, you MUST wear something purple in honor of Trudy Jo. Otherwise you will have to buy your own food and social beverages.