Gertrude C. (Dietrich) Novotny

Gertrude Carolyn Novotny (Dietrich) passed away peacefully on February 12, 2026, in Claremont, New Hampshire, at the age of 99, just one day shy of her half birthday. Known as Trudy to her family and friends, she was born on August 13, 1926, in New York, New York. Her family later moved to Weehawken, NJ, where her father owned a neighborhood grocery store.

Trudy met her late husband, Robert “Bob” Novotny, while they were students at Weehawken High School. After graduating, she attended Douglas College, the women’s college affiliated with Rutgers University. In 1948, following the war, Trudy and Bob were married and later made their home in Ramsey, New Jersey, where they raised their children.

A dedicated educator, Trudy spent many years teaching home economics. She was especially known for her gardening, baking and sewing and delighted in sharing her talents with others. Family and friends will fondly remember the dresses and costumes she lovingly made, her recipes - often delivered with zany yet very precise instructions - and the steady stream of homemade treats that came from her kitchen.

In 1982, Trudy and Bob moved to Eastham, Massachusetts, a long-time favorite vacation destination for the family, where they became deeply involved in the local community. Together they were active with the Eastham Council on Aging and helped manage the Friends of Eastham Council on Aging Travel Club. After Bob’s passing in 2008, she remained in Eastham for several years before dividing her time between nNew Hampshire and New Jersey with her children, ultimately settling in New Hampshire.

Trudy loved baking (and chocolate), gardening, reading, volunteering, and playing puzzles and games. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of her plants, flowers, and local wildlife, and she took care to check in on both her garden and her people. She will be remembered for her vivid storytelling, recounting moments from her long and colorful life in delightful detail, often ending with either a lesson learned or a quick, humorous aside.

She is survived by her daughter, Carole Newton (Novotny) of Croydon, New Hampshire; her son, Robert W. Novotny of Montville, New Jersey; four grandchildren, Heather Campelia (Newton), Sarah Ames (Newton), Lauren Phillips (Novotny), and Richard Novotny; and four great-grandchildren, Logan, Ava, Harrison, and Robert.

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