Trude (Sawatzky) Tait

Passed away at the Salem Home, Winkler on Monday, October 29, 2018 at the age of 76 years.

Trude was born the seventh child of Cornelius A. and Katherine (Wiebe) Sawatzky. The family moved from Halbstadt, MB, to MacGregor, MB, when Trude was four years of age. Here she attended Beaver Creek School as well as MacGregor High School. After grade 11 she went into nurses training in Winnipeg and graduated as an RN in 1962. She worked as an RN in MacGregor, Portage La Prairie, Banff, Winnipeg, Montreal, Detmold, Germany, Vancouver, Hawaii, Sussex and Moncton NB. In the meantime, she earned a BSc from McGill University and a Masters of Public Health degree plus an Advanced Graduate Certification in Gerontology from the University of Hawaii. The most senior positions she held included the Manager of Nursing Staff in Operating Rooms at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Director of Resident Care Services in Moncton. 

Music was always very important in Trude’s life, having grown up in a musical family. Her favourite song was one she sang with her mother and sisters, “In The Garden.” Trude went on to study music at the Canadian Mennonite Bible College and Nordwestdeutsche Musikakadamie in Detmold, Germany. She also attended intensive summer workshops at Banff School of Fine Arts, Goshen College and Sir Wilfred Laurier University. She was involved as a solo performer, choir director and voice teacher. 

While living in Montreal, Trude met and married Reverend Walter Tait. To this marriage Walter brought three children. Trude and Walter enjoyed 25 years of marriage before Walter passed away January 1, 2009. 

Trude is survived by four sisters and four brothers, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, her parents, a brother, two infant siblings, a brother-in-law, two nephews and two great nephews. 

Her family is very grateful for the wonderful care Trude received from the staff at Notre Dame Foyer and the Salem Care Home, with special thanks to Marie, Trude's companion.

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