Rene Edmond Trudelle

1937 - 2024

Norwich - Rene Edmond Trudelle passed away Oct. 23, 2024. He was born July 16, 1937, the son of the late Arthur Trudelle and Therese (Lussier) Trudelle.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Betty Walenda) Trudelle whom he married June 6, 1970, at St. Joseph Church. Besides his wife, he is survived by his son Joseph Trudelle. Also, he is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides his parents, he is predeceased by his brothers, Arthur "Chopper" and wife Julia Trudelle and Wilfred and wife Louise Trudelle; sister Marie and husband Paul Gaudet; nephew Gary and wife Beverly Trudelle; and his nephew/godson Arthur Trudelle. Rene was the last of his immediate family.

Rene was drafted July 13, 1961, to serve in the United States Army. He reported for training at Fort Dix, N.J. and attended Electronic School at Fort Monmouth, N.J. He finished his tour of duty as an electronic technician at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. He was an In-Country Viet Nam War veteran.

He worked at Electric Boat (General Dynamics) from 1963 to 1967. In 1967, he accepted a position at the Sound Lab in New London, and retired Jan. 28, 2000 from (NUWC) Navy Underwater Warfare Center in Newport, R.I. He worked as a courier on a part-time basis at Eastern Savings Society from 2001 to 2006.

Rene was awarded an associate's degree in business administration from Mohegan Community College. He served as the Past Grand Knight of the Ponemah Council No. 34 in Taftville; he is an Honorary Life Member of the Monsignor Synott Third Degree Knights of Columbus in Baltic; he is an Honorary Life Member (4th Degree) of the Rev. Hornidas Belec Assembly in Taftville; he served as an AARP past president of Chapter 1000 and, with the help of the members, received the Chapter of the Year award on the 50th anniversary of the founding of AARP; and he served for ten years as an instructor for the AARP Driver Safety Program.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, at St. Joseph Church, 120 Cliff Street, Norwich. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery. A calling hour will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Woyasz & Son Funeral Home, 141 Central Avenue, Norwich. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rene's memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, PO Box 50 Memphis, TN 38104-9929 or Haitian Health Foundation, 97 Sherman St., Norwich, CT 06360.