Gertrude Forte

1937 - 2021

Gertrude "Trudy" Maria Forte, Ph.D.
February 25, 1937 – June 9, 2021
Gertrude "Trudy" Maria Forte, 84, returned to her heavenly home on June 9, 2021. She was comforted by family and friends in her Berkeley, CA, home. Trudy is preceded in death by her beloved husband, John, and her three brothers, Martin Michel, Engelbert Michel, and Joseph Michel, and her parents Leonhard and Susanna Michel. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Michele Ramos (Marcelio), John Forte (Nicole), Susan Johnson (Andrew), and her seven grandchildren, Marcel Ramos, Gaetano Forte, Giovanna Ramos, Fiona McElhany, Peter Forte, Rafael Ramos, and Stuart McElhany.
Trudy was born to Leonhard and Susanna, in Wayne, Pennsylvania, on February 25, 1937. Growing up in the countryside allowed her to learn the ways of plants and animals from her parents, the caretakers of the Paul's estate. Trudy loved the sciences, which is echoed in her education and experience. She graduated magna cum laude from Immaculata College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology in1958. Trudy received a National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship Award to attend the University of Pennsylvania for her Ph.D. in Zoology. Family folklore has it that future husband John, while he attended Valley Forge Military Academy, first set eyes on Trudy during mass at Saint Katherine Catholic Church. Trudy and John would actually meet while attending grauate school at the U of P. Trudy and John married on the third of June, 1961. Two children and three years later, Trudy was awarded her Ph.D. from U of P in 1964. From there, Trudy and John moved the family west, to California, to start new chapters in their careers and family; their third child added soon after.
Once settled in California, Trudy gained her postdoctoral training at the University of California, Berkeley. Here Dr. Trudy Forte served as a Senior Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, 1978 to 2004, researching lipid and protein roles in cardiovascular disease as the Principal Investigator within her National Institute of Health research grants. She then followed a new direction in research as a Scientist at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, 2004-2017. Throughout her career in science, Trudy has held numerous distinguished roles, including Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Lipid Research (1999- 2003), leadership roles within the American Heart Association (AHA), and Director of research, Lypro Biosciences, Inc (2008-2017). Trudy's professional accomplishments have been recognized with numerous honors and awards over her career, highlights include the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Outstanding Performance Award (1992), the Associated Western Universities honor of Distinguished Lecturer (1994), the AHA Special Recognition Award (1999), and the first annual AHA Mentor of Women Award (2001), and Jack Oram HDL Award (2018).
Trudy was a devoted mother and active member of the Saint Mary Magdalen Parish in Berkeley. A supporter of local performing arts and a music enthusiast, she enjoyed playing piano, singing with the Magdalen choir and attending live performances. Her children are in awe of the grace which Trudy was able to balance managing her research team and caring for an active family life. She was fabulous mother, sharing her love of nature with others with her knowledge of all creatures (and plants) great and small, through her final days. Most dear to her was time with John, her family, and friends, at their Sea Ranch home, which provided an escape to the pastoral life experiences of her childhood. Trudy will be remembered as an accomplished scientist, an active supporter of her community, an excellent cook, and an exceptional mother and grandmother, "Nonna".
A Memorial Mass/Celebration of Life will be held August 21, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, Berkeley, CA.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research - advancing research and improving care for people with Parkinson's disease (https://www.michaeljfox.org/).