Gertrude Borst

​

Trudy (Brouwer) Borst passed into the arms of her loving Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 30, 2021. She was 93 years old.
The oldest child of Koene A. Brouwer and Jeanette (Petersen) Brouwer, Trudy was born on a Friday in February 1928 on the family farm homesteaded by her grandparents outside of Clara City, Minnesota. Named after her Grandmother Geertje, Trudy often remembered her early morning chores including milking cows, gathering eggs, and pumping water by hand when the windmills weren’t turning in her German immigrant community. She learned English in the one-room schoolhouse she attended along with her siblings and graduated from Clara City High School as World War ll was ending.
Trudy’s church pastor convinced her father to allow her to continue her education. She was the first of her family to attend college and initially received a Limited Certificate in Education from Calvin College in 1948. Trudy immensely enjoyed her college experience. She moved to Chicago to teach elementary school, during which time she met her future husband, Gerry Borst. She returned to Calvin and completed her bachelor’s degree in Education in 1951. That same year, she and Gerry were married, creating a close and loving union that continued for 69 years.
In 1960 Gerry and Trudy moved their family to Riverside, California where they were founding members of Riverside Christian Reformed Church, now known as Hope Community Christian Reformed Church. They returned to Grand Rapids in 1965 but never lost their love for the West.
Trudy was a lifelong educator, serving as a full-time elementary school teacher and occasional substitute teacher over a span of 25 years. She concluded her career at Calvin College, assisting students with their research as a Government Documents librarian while teaching and mentoring prisoners remotely through Crossroad Prison Ministries. Her interest in genealogy led her to document the Brouwer family history back to 1750 and the Borst family history back to 1727.
Trudy was the loving and treasured mother of four children. Family and being of service were core values. She passed her faith on to her children through her living example of Christ’s character. Trudy opened her California and Michigan homes and Sunday dinner tables to college students and seminary interns who were away from home and needing a good family meal.
In retirement, Gerry and Trudy spent many winters in Mesa, Arizona enjoying golfing and hiking in the surrounding desert. She loved learning about the local birds and cacti as well as hosting her family for Chicago Cubs spring training games. Often described as kind and giving, she made friends wherever she went. Trudy and Gerry spent their final years living in southern California near their daughter’s family, benefiting from their love and attention.
Trudy was preceded in death by her husband Gerry (October 2020); sisters, Ione, Alice, and Matilda Brouwer; brothers, Calvin, Orrin and Roger Brouwer. She is survived by brother, Arnold and sisters, Carol and Jane; children, Steve Borst (Jen Logan), Susan Borst (Mark Zuiderveen), Scott Borst (Jayne), Mike Borst (Kim); seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service will be held for both Gerry and Trudy Borst at 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 30 at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids with family visitation and fellowship following. Masks and distancing are requested by the family.  The service will be viewable via livestream at https://youtu.be/s5i9tq52xbk. Memorial gifts can be given in Trudy’s name to Crossroad Prison Ministries at cpministries.org/donate or to the Calvin University Annual Fund at calvin.edu/support/.