Gertrude 'Trudy' Trask, 92, a resident of Custer, SD, since 1955, died Saturday, November 12, at the Custer Regional Senior Care.

She was born in her grandparent's home during a blizzard in Faith, SD, December 28, 1918, to Chester and Kate (Spilman) Johnson. As a young girl she lived on a ranch with her family. She attended elementary school in a one room school house on the prairie near Faith. She experienced the dust storms during the "Dirty Thirties". She graduated in the Class of 1937 from Faith High School.

That summer between high school and college she went to work at Palmer Gulch Lodge in Hill City, and was employed there for three summers. She attended Black Hills Teacher College and obtained a teaching certificate. She became a teacher at the White Swan School, a one room country school south of Dupree.

August 7, 1939, she married Kenneth Allen Trask of Hill City. They were married at midnight in a double wedding at Sylvan Lake. In September they went to the New York World's Fair for their honeymoon, just as World War ll began. They returned to their home in Hill City where they lived for sixteen years before moving to Custer.

She was a bookkeeper at Trask Motors in Custer and became the manager there after her husband's death in 1975. She was the manager of the Custer Federal Credit Union; she worked summers at the Coolidge Inn Art Gallery in Custer State Park and was the bookkeeper at Allen's Home Furnishings in Custer.

She was Past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star; member of Fidelis Club; PEO; a 70 year member of Eastern Star; member of Custer County Republican Women; Extension Club; Badger Clark Memorial Society; Custer Community Church Choir; Volunteer Treasurer of 1881 Court House Museum; board member of Custer Manor Nursing Home; 1982 Gold Discovery Days Parade Marshall; board member of the Custer County Historical Society; member of the State Board of Directors of the Congregational Churches of South Dakota; Delegate to the National United Church of Christ Conference; and board member of Christian Ministry in the National Parks in South Dakota.

She loved to play bridge, a beautiful seamstress, participated in several book clubs, and was an avid traveler, she also enjoyed playing the piano.

She is survived by her son, Allen Trask and daughter-in-law, Gail of Custer; daughter, Rev. Dr. Virginia Trask Newton of Center Sandwich, NH; two sisters, Thelma Frame and Beverly Lindblom both of Rapid City; four grandchildren: Dr. Michelle Duncan of Winchester, MA; Mark Duncan of Collierville, TV; Troy Miller of Harpers Ferry, WV; and Nathan Trask of Rapid City. She has six great-grandchildren, eleven nephews, and seven nieces.

Gertrude was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Allen; her parents, Chester and Kate Johnson; daughter, Belva Lee Trask Duncan as well as three brothers, Daniel, Kenneth and Russel; and one sister, Ethel Lammers.

Visiting hours will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Custer Community Church, November 16th, with Eastern Star Rites at 7:00 pm.

Funeral services will be held at the Custer Community Church, Thursday, November 17th, at 11:00 a.m. The burial will be at 1:30 p.m., at the Hill City Cemetery. Rev. Bill Comfort and Pastor Dan Benedict will be officiating.

The Pallbearers will be: Mark Duncan, Troy Miller, Nathan Trask, Edward Gould, Jerry Frame, and Dean Johnson.

The family suggests in lieu of flowers that memorial donations may be made to the Custer Library Foundation, 447 Crook St., Custer, or the Custer Community Church Scholarship Fund, 547 Harney St., Custer, SD 57730.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Custer. Written condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.