Gertrude K. Lynch

Gertrude K. Lynch, known to all as Trudi, passed away on October 25, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Trudi was born in The Bronx, New York on November 16, 1937 to Gertrude L O’Brien and Donald J Kinstler, their second child (of five) and eldest daughter. She was raised and attended schools in The Bronx and in Mount Vernon, NY. As a native of The Bronx, Trudi was a lifelong NY Yankees fan, having spent much of her youth at Yankee Stadium. She would often recall that in the morning her mother would give her one dollar, which was to pay for the train to and from the stadium, her admission ticket, lunch, and the change her mother always expected to have returned to her. She saw many of the great Yankees players and continued throughout her life to attend games with her own children and eventually with her grandchildren.

Growing up in New York City, Trudi took advantage of the many opportunities available to her and was a regular at Broadway theaters, having seen many of the original casts of classic Broadway musicals. One of her strongest memories of World War 2 era New York City was as a child in Times Square on V-J Day, having witnessed firsthand the revelry and celebration that took place that day.

Trudi had a voracious appetite for learning and triple-majored in Biology, Chemistry and Ancient Greek graduating with honors from the College of Saint Rose. In an era when women were often discouraged from such endeavors, her goal was to attend Georgetown University School of Medicine and she requested admittance applications numerous times using her name and college address. Strangely, the applications never arrived. She and her father agreed to try a test: they would request an application in her father's name to his address in Mount Vernon. Oddly, the application soon arrived addressed to him. She sent it in under her own name and was accepted to the medical school. Around the same time Trudi met her future husband, and she made the decision to marry and have a family rather than pursue a medical degree. But her educational accomplishments were not over as she would go on to earn a master’s degree in Biology from Union College and an MBA from SUNY Albany. After her retirement from teaching, she worked on a third master’s degree in Ancient Scripture but put that pursuit aside to help care for her growing group of grandchildren.

Trudi’s career started at Sloan Kettering working in cancer research, and she continued that work at Squibb in New Jersey. After moving to the Capital District and having two daughters, she began her lengthy career as an educator. Trudi taught science for decades at Shenendehowa middle and high schools, particularly enjoying teaching honors classes. She retired from teaching as a Science Department Chairman at Niskayuna Middle School.

Trudi was a communicant of Saint Joseph's parish in Scotia, and was a devoted eucharistic minister for decades. She felt strongly about her faith and for over a decade worked as a volunteer chaplain at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady and as an organist at weekly masses at Glendale Home in Glenville.

Trudi is survived by her two daughters, Maureen Lynch of Hadley, MA and Kathleen Holub of Rotterdam, NY. She is also survived by the loves of her life, her four grandchildren – Cassidy Peterson of Alexandria, VA, Michaela Holub of Rotterdam, NY, Liam Peterson of Hadley, MA and Madeline Holub of Rotterdam, NY – and her rescued beagle, Bailey, who was her constant beloved companion. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews, good friends and wonderful neighbors.

Trudi was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Kevin Kinstler, Thomas Kinstler and Joseph Kinstler, her sister Mary Elizabeth Kinstler (in infancy), and her sons-in-law John Peterson (Maureen) and Frank Holub (Kathleen).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Double H Ranch, an organization that meant the world to Trudi as two of her grandchildren benefited from their programs.

A calling hour will be held at St. Joseph’s Church in Scotia on Monday, November 9 at 10:00 am followed by a mass at 11:00. An internment will occur at a later time.