Gertrude Schumaker ‘Trudy’ Besancon, 96, of Vero Beach, passed away at Indian River Estates.
She is survived by her son Philip (Nancy); daughter Cindy (Dan); three grandchildren and 1.75 great-grandchildren.
A Vero Beach resident for more than 25 years, Besancon was an accomplished horsewoman, tennis player (her serve brought many a male competitor to his knees), pianist, and amateur classical archaeologist. She and her husband, Phil, traveled widely and she created oil and water color paintings based on those excursions, painting well into her 80s.
Her love of animals led to her volunteering with the SPCA in Ithaca, N.Y., becoming a radio reporter representing them for several years on radio station WHCU, resulting in many adoptions of their cats and dogs, and even a goat.
She was the primary sailing crew member for her husband and enjoyed multiple adventures on Cayuga Lake in their Rhodes 19.
In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to SPCA of Tompkins County (www.spcaonline.com), Annex, The Shops at Ithaca Mall, 40 Catherwood Rd., #3, Ithaca, NY 14850 or Humane Society of Vero Beach, (www.hsvb.org), 6230 77th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32967.
An online guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome.com.