Vernon Mourning Loss Of The 'Face' Of Town Hall

VERNON, CT — A Vernon resident who was considered the iconic face — and in some instances the pulse — of town hall recently died on her 93rd birthday.

Gertrude "Trudy" Roberts passed away on Nov. 16, according to her obituary posted Tuesday by Pietras Family Funeral Homes.

Roberts worked at Vernon Town Hall for 37 years.

She "officially" retired from her posts as the building's receptionist in late October.

Visitation is scheduled for Dec. 14 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St., Vernon, followed by a Mass at St. Joseph's Church, 33 West St., Vernon at 11 a.m.

See the full obituary here.

From 1987 until this fall, Roberts had been at her post in the town hall lobby and answered phones, sorted mail and handled any number of tasks. No one could not get past her without signing in — from government officials to residents to even media members.

But she always did it with a kind word in a pleasant, chatty manner.

"It's hard for me to imagine Town Hall without Trudy," Mayor Dan Champagne said upon her retirement.

Diane Wheelock spent many years working with Roberts as mayor and now the administration's executive assistant, and called Roberts "the face and voice of Vernon for generations of residents."

When Roberts turned 90, she was summoned to the mayor's office and arrived to find a surprise birthday party and colleagues wishing her a happy birthday. For a few minutes, even Roberts was speechless.

"We were all heart-broken to learn of Trudy’s passing," Champagne said. "She was a big part of our family here at Town Hall, and the family that is Vernon. Her passing is truly like losing a family member. Everyone who visited Town Hall got to experience Trudy’s kind and cheerful personality. She will truly be missed."