Gertrude "Trudy" Huebner (1915 - 2009) was a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents from 1967-1974.


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Obituary

HUEBNER - Gertrude "Trudy" Veneklasen DeLamarter Huebner, age 94, died peacefully at home in Ann Arbor, Mich., on November 13, 2009, following a proud and distinguished life. Trudy excelled in every activity she put her mind to and lived life with gusto. Multi-faceted, she was passionate, kind and compassionate, a master of the English language and wonderfully irreverent. Trudy was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on January 11, 1915. Her family soon moved back to Grand Rapids, Mich., where she grew up. She was graduated summa cum laude and phi beta kappa from the University of Michigan School of Journalism. After brief employment at the Detroit News, she worked 35 years at the Maxon Advertising Agency in Detroit. Well ahead of her time, she wrote and produced award-winning copy and jingles that became advertising icons for decades, including Gillette's "Look sharp every time you shave", The Heinz Aristocratic Tomato, "Chung King makes Chinese food swing American," and "Indescribably Delicious" Peter Paul Mounds. As part of her work for these and other major accounts, she also helped pioneer the first live national television commercials. She was elected to the University of Michigan Board of Regents in 1966 and served from January of 1967 to December of 1975. Upon election, Trudy was the only woman on the Board and just the fourth in its 150-year history. Although her years on the Board came during a time of unrest, she found the challenges exciting and developed a unique rapport with students. Trudy's enthusiastic commitment and tireless support of the University of Michigan continued after leaving the Board of Regents. She later served on, among others, the advisory boards of WUOM-FM, Rackham Graduate School, the President's Club and the Institute of Gerontology. In addition, she initiated the Academic Administrative Internship for Women, and helped establish several scholarship funds. Trudy loved to travel and visited over 100 countries and all continents. She had an inordinate fondness for Antarctica and for penguins. One of her last trips in her late 80's was to Borneo, "Because I've never been there and I might just meet the wild man from Borneo." Trudy is survived by twin sons, Louis Jay DeLamarter III of Toronto and Lawrence and wife, Merideth DeLamarter of Concord, Mass. Also surviving are her sister, Kathryn Veneklasen Wakefield Bovard; three grandchildren and two great grandchildren; and many nephews, nieces, grand nieces and nephews. Trudy was preceded in death by her first husband, Louis J. DeLamarter Jr., her second husband, George J. Huebner, Jr., her parents, Egbert and Anna Veneklasen, and her brothers, William M. Veneklasen and John E. Veneklasen. Cremation has already occurred. Memorial services are being planned both in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids service will take place next spring and there will be a notice in this paper. Trudy took great joy in watching the performing arts from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & dance. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you please consider a donation to the School's Trudy Huebner Dance Scholarship.

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