Gertrud “Trudy” Mauk

10/8/1934 - 1/26/2022

Gertrud “Trudy” Mauk was born in the afternoon of October 8, 1934, at home in Munich, Germany, the youngest of 4 children. She had several green thumbs

and a love for gardening that started at a very early age, born out of necessity during the WWII when there was no food available. Gertrud came to the United States at age 26 with one suitcase and $500. with the intent of staying for a year…a few years later she became a citizen of the United States of America. Her earliest job in the U. S. was that of Au Pair, she worked for several families before getting a job as a cashier for Mannings and worked in the Standard Oil (Chevron) building on Market Street in Downtown San Francisco for 22 years. This is where she became known as Trudy, an ‘easier’ version of her name.

She had worked 7 days a week for 7 years, working extra jobs on the weekends to save money for her car. In 1966 Gertrud bought her first car, a green Volkswagen Beetle and paid for it in cash and had already saved the first 2 years of insurance money.

In the Spring of 1968 at a German dance in Oakland she met Theodor Mauk, an immigrant from Stuttgart, Germany. After a brief courtship they became engaged in the fall and married in city hall in December and “properly” to them on January 19, 1969 at St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco. Almost 2 years later Gertrud gave birth to their only child, a daughter Michelle. The family moved to Burlingame in August of 1974.

Gertrud continued to work in San Francisco until her husband became too ill and needed her attention in February 1988. After his passing in April, she took over the duties of managing their property and all that came along with that.

In April of 2017 Gertrud was clinically diagnosed with Alzheimers and could no longer live alone as she had for many years. She was relocated to Austin, Texas to be near her daughter and son- in-law, Todd Gentner, who cared for her very well. Her favorite duty was that of Oma for her grand-dog, Gracie Belle, taking her for walks and giving lots of treats.

Gertrud resided in a Memory Care Community and was at first very active and assisted with some gardening and in an advisory role as overseer, as she was accustomed.

She transitioned to her eternal home very peacefully in the wee hours of the morning of January 26, 2022.

Gertrud will always be remembered for her incredible work ethic, the way she could turn a leaf into a tree, the attentions paid to every dog on Burlingame Avenue (or anywhere she saw them) and how she loved to ride her bicycle (she will always be known as the “bike lady” of Burlingame).

Gertrud leaves behind her loving son-in-law and daughter, a sister, several nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Friends are invited to attend a visitation on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 from 6 to 8 pm and a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at the CROSBY - N. GRAY & CO. Funeral Home, 2 Park Road, Burlingame, followed by interment at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo and a reception lunch in Millbrae.