Gertrude "Trudy" C. Compton, 95, of Shawnee, passed away Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at Villa St. Francis in Olathe.    Trudy was born November 9, 1925 to John and Cecelia Marino in Krebs, OK.
Trudy was brought up in a home on 5 acres, in a close knit Catholic family across the road from the Catholic Church. She and her brother John shared the duty of ringing  the "Angelus Bell" at the Catholic Church at noon for many years. The Krebs locals could always tell which Marino child was ringing the bell, Trudy always rang at exactly 12:00 sharp, but brother John was usually a ‘few minutes' late ringing the bell!  Trudy learned to play the piano from the parish nuns in exchange for a pound of butter a week from the family dairy cow. Trudy shared a wonderful childhood with her 2 brothers, John and Clem, and her 3 sisters, Catherine, Regina and Joanna. There was no indoor plumbing until years later. During the depression the family raised all of their own food, they had a young calf killed each year which would provide their meat and another adult cow provided milk, cream and butter.  A pig served in providing lard and sausage. Their large garden also helped to provide for the familyTrudy met Bill Compton when she was a freshman in high school and he was a sophomore. Trudy and Bill began meeting at the Sodality Meetings, prayer meetings followed by dances at the Catholic Church. That is where they learned to dance ‘The Jitterbug' together. Upon graduation from high school Bill enlisted in the Navy Medical Corps, but before leaving for his assignment he and Trudy were engaged. During the time Bill was overseas, Trudy worked as a "Rosie the Riveter"   at the Douglas Aircraft Center riveting B-29's and C-47‘s, in Tulsa, Ok. In 1945 Bill and Trudy were married. They literally flipped a coin trying to decide whether they would live in Tulsa, Ok. or in Kansas City.   Kansas City was the winning coin flip. They managed to save $1000 which was used for a down payment on a house in Shawnee in 1952. Their monthly house payment was  $47!    It was in Shawnee that Bill and Trudy raised their six Compton children who all attended Saint Joseph Grade/High School. Trudy was an active member of Saint Joseph Catholic Church where she was a member of the Ladies Guild. She also taught CCD religious education for many years.

Up until the time her youngest entered kindergarten, Trudy enjoyed her role of motherhood, and remained a full-time homemaker and mother. Her family was always her first love. When her youngest entered kindergarten Trudy began to volunteer at Catholic Social Services, and remained a volunteer there for the next 17 years. In 1984 she was awarded United Ways "Outstanding Volunteer Service Award".   In 1988 she was the recipient of the Catholic Social Services  first "Sign of Hope Award."

She was deeply influenced by three pilgrimages she took to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, sight of Marian appearances and miracles. Influenced by her experience there, she initiated a prayer group in 1988, known as the "Flame of Love" prayer group. This prayer group met in her downstairs basement and celebrated its 27th year of weekly prayer meetings in her home in 2015.

She will long be remembered in our family for her famous spaghetti and fried chicken dinners!  Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren feel so very blessed to have had such a blessed role model for the many years she graced our lives, and she will be forever missed.

Her final year of life with the social isolation and loneliness due to COVID was a monumental sacrifice that she offered up to Our Lord, and the family is content in our knowledge that she fell peacefully asleep and woke up in the arms Our Savior.

She is preceded in death by her husband Bill Compton; a son, Daniel Compton; two brothers, John and Clement Marino; and sister, Catherine Freeman.  Trudy is survived by her children, Madonna Compton; Timothy Compton and wife Pam; Lisa George and husband Christopher; Mitch Compton and wife Donda; Maria Hernandez and husband Michael; 17 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren, and younger sisters Joanna Michael of Springfield, Mo. and Regina Ptacek of Del City, Ok.

Visitation and Services

To ensure everyone’s health and safety during this pandemic, the family has decided to forgo a formal receiving line and visitation.  However, a rosary will be prayed at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, March 18th at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 11311 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66203.   Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 18th at the St. Joseph Catholic Church.  Trudy will be laid to rest next to her husband Bill at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa.   The service will be livestreamed for those that are unable to attend.  Please click HERE to view the service

Memorial Contribution

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, 9720 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS, 66212 or to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5901 Flint Street, Shawnee, KS, 66203.