Friday, May 29, 2015, peacefully at home, surrounded by her family. Predeceased by her parents, Joseph Josephine Zientara. She is survived by her loving husband, Gerald J. "Jerry" Monaghan; children, Theresa J. (Paul) Ludanyi, Daniel M. Monaghan, Michael J. (Robin) Monaghan, Kevin P. (Diane) Monaghan, Ellen M. (Terence) Hancock, Anne M. (Joseph) Peters Joseph G. (Kelly) Monaghan; 12 grandchildren; brother, Eugene (Marilyn) Zientara; several nieces, nephews and dear friends. Trudy earned a BS with honors in Nursing from Nazareth College in 1959. She was a parishioner of Our Mother of Sorrows Church for 51 years. During this time she and Jerry served for 26 years in Catholic marriage ministry with Retrouvialle, Marriage Encounter, Pre-Cana Engaged Encounter. Trudy Jerry sang in the O'MOS choir for over 20 years. She enjoyed mahjong, gardening, puzzles, sewing cooking. Trudy's visiting hours will be Tuesday, June 2 from 2-4 7-9 PM at the funeral home, 1411 Vintage Lane. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated 9:30AM on Wednesday, June 3 at Our Mother Of Sorrows Church, 5000 Mount Read Blvd. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Donations to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, 150 French Rd, Rochester, NY 14618 or Our Mother of Sorrows Building Fund, 5000 Mt. Read Blvd, Rochester NY 14612 in Trudy's memory. Trudy was born on March 16, 1938 to Joseph and Josephine (Juda) Zientara in Rochester, New York. The family lived with her paternal Grandparents who were Polish immigrants and Trudy spoke only Polish until they moved to their own home on Westmount Street when she was three. Joe was a supervisor at Hickock Leather Goods and Jo worked in film packing and shipping at Kodak Park. Trudy has one younger brother, Gene Zientara. She attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and was a member of the Nazareth Academy class of 1955. In high school she participated in intramural basketball and musical theater productions. As the senior prom approached, her homeroom teacher, Sister Rosalie Maier, wanted to be sure all her homeroom girls had fine young men to escort them to the dance. Sister's nephew was a good friend of Jerry and he asked Jerry to be one of those escorts. He reluctantly agreed. Trudy and Jerry had a blind date for the prom. When Jerry couldn't get Trudy out of his mind, he called her again. The rest is history. Trudy earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honors in Nursing from Nazareth College in 1959, working full time prior to and following her wedding day until the first child arrived. For a short while after that she worked special nursing assignments part time in the evenings while caring for the children during the day. Trudy married Jerry Monaghan on September 12, 1959 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester. They honeymooned in Montreal and Quebec City, visiting the religious shrines in the Old Cities. They made their first home in an apartment on Weaver Street in Rochester, moving to the Ramona Park Apartments in expectation of the first baby. They purchased a home on Brayton Road in Greece in 1961 and as their family grew larger, moved to a larger house on Rumson Rd. at Mount Read Blvd. in 1964 where they lived for thirty-nine years. After Jerry's retirement in 1991, they bought a cottage in Thousand Islands Park on Wellesley Island, NY and a class "B" motor home which they used to travel to Florida for several months each winter. Trudy Jerry were blessed with a large family of seven children who in turn have gifted them with twelve grandchildren: Theresa J. Paul Ludanyi - Elizabeth (19) and Ilona (14) of Newtown, CT; Daniel M. of Queens, NY; Michael J. Robin - Heather Koch (30) and Maxwell (26) of Rochester; Kevin Diane of Rochester; Ellen Terence Hancock - Caitlyn (9), Brennan(9), Cody Chatterton (19) of Rochester; Anne M. Joseph Peters IV - Joseph V (22), Wyatt (20) and Josephine (6) of Niskayuna, NY; Joseph G. Kelly - Kyle (7) and Ethan (4) of Lyndhurst, OH. Trudy was a very loving, family centered person. Her time, energy and talents were in constant service to her family. She had a generous spirit that made all feel welcome in her home and at the cottage. There was always room for one more person at any gathering or event. In life, she was an avid gardener planting huge annual vegetable gardens on Rumson Rd. and in the community gardens at TI Park. Her flower garden at the cottage was a point of special beauty. She loved to sew, making garments for special events and gifts for her children, grandchildren and also for herself. She also put her sewing talents to use on the high school plays that many of her children became involved in over the years. She often worked late into the evening to complete these projects. She also enjoyed knitting and counted cross stitch. She was never happier than when all her progeny and their families arrived in Rochester or at the cottage (24 guests, 1 bathroom) for a joyful gathering - she baked and cooked constantly, joined in on family games of Taboo and worked on puzzles with her grandchildren. Christmas is a special time for Trudy and her family. Following in the traditions of her parents, she and Jerry, her brother Gene and his wife Marilyn, along with their families continue the Polish tradition of Wigillia, the meatless Christmas Eve meal featuring pierogi, blintzes, kasha, and opltek, followed by Midnight Mass where she and Jerry and three sons sang in the choir. She made billions of Christmas cookies in her lifetime, most especially anise cutouts; a recipe that came to her through Jerry's family. At Easter, she and Jerry made fresh Polish sausage with a recipe that came from her Grandfather. And for years she hosted a fantastic, traditional American Thanksgiving. Trudy and Jerry loved to travel and Trudy planned many family camping and sight-seeing trips throughout the children's growing years including the Maritime Provinces, Labrador and Newfoundland, South Dakota, Virginia and D.C., and twice crossing the United States in campers. Later Jerry and Trudy traveled abroad to Poland, Ireland, Germany, Alaska, the Panama Canal and cruised to Bermuda and the Bahamas. Trudy and Jerry were married for 55 years. They truly lived the vows they made, supporting each other through the tough times and celebrating the joys and triumphs. Their marriage grew stronger and more beautiful with every passing year. God was always a partner in their union. They prayed the Rosary daily and attended daily Mass together. When Trudy became too weak to attend Mass, Jerry brought her the Eucharist. Trudy had an adventurous spirit- she loved to try new things like new cuisines and sought new experiences. She opened new worlds to our meat and potatoes father (and put thirty pounds on him in short order after their marriage). Trudy was very strong spiritually - her trust in God's plan was amazing. She explored her dreams, participated in Cursillo, and Ignatian retreats. On several occasions she was granted the gift of speaking in tongues and once she sent "the spirit that is not God" howling from the house. Daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, nurse, self-less giver, role model - she was the hub of our family. We were always sure of her and she called us to be our best selves. .