Trudy Finke Was Told She Wouldn’t Live to Adulthood. She Lived 72 Years.

When Trudy Finke was born, doctors gave her parents a devastating message: she was not expected to live to adulthood.

Her parents refused to accept that as the end of her story.

Trudy was born with arthrogryposis, also known as arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). The condition causes joint contractures and muscle weakness that are present at birth.

Her parents pursued surgeries, braces, and other support for their daughter. They also learned how to navigate a system that was not built to give children with disabilities the same opportunities as others.

Their determination helped Trudy build a life far beyond what doctors had predicted. She died on April 22, 2026, after living for more than seven decades.

Finding Support Early

As a child, Trudy was recognized as an “Easter Seals Kid” in Colorado. A newspaper clipping from her childhood shows her connection to Easter Seals, which was part of a larger network of support around her.

Her family remembers traveling to Denver for braces and other care. They also remember the many people and organizations that helped Trudy and her parents find what she needed.

The family does not know exactly which services Easter Seals provided or when Trudy received them, but they know disability organizations played an important role in helping their family pursue opportunities for her.

At the time, children with disabilities faced major barriers to education and community life. Trudy's parents kept looking for ways around those barriers.

“They taught her that she could do anything,” her sister, Nancy Marston, said. “And she believed it.”

Fiercely Independent

Trudy's independence became one of the defining parts of her life.

By around her 20s, she told her family she was moving out. She traveled to Boulder and began living on her own.

She couldn’t drive, but she learned how to use public transportation. She knew who to call when she needed new braces. She managed her own life and made her own choices.

Later in life, when living on her own became harder, she chose assisted living. Even then, she remained  passionately independent.

“She was fiercely independent,” Nancy said. “From the very beginning, we taught her that she could do anything, and she believed it.”

Trudy also knew what she liked. She loved jewelry and anything sparkly. She loved animals and had several cats throughout her life. And she loved getting dressed.

At Boulder Canyon Health and Rehabilitation, her social worker, Kiana, remembered Trudy choosing her outfit and hat every morning. They were rarely dull.

Her clothes were bright, colorful and sometimes covered in glitter. She chose them because she wanted to, and that choice mattered.

A Job She Loved

Trudy lived independently — but more importantly, she worked.

She spent about 30 years working at the Boulder library, where she cut newspaper articles for the archives.

Her sister said Trudy loved the work and the people she worked with. The library recognized her contributions with a 30-year plaque.

For Trudy, the job was a place where she belonged. She eventually retired from the library after decades of work.

Never Met a Stranger

Ask almost anyone who knew Trudy, and they will mention her smile.

Her family said every picture they have of her shows her smiling. At Boulder Canyon, staff and residents knew her for that very reason.

“She knew everybody, she loved everybody,” Nancy said. “Everybody loved her. She never met a stranger.”

Christine, the Resident Service Director at Boulder Canyon, saw that side of Trudy for about three years.

Christine said Trudy always looked for the good in people. She remembered what people liked and used those interests to start conversations.

During football season, Trudy became a cheerleader for the people around her. She especially loved talking about the Denver Broncos.

Other things she loved? Bingo, live music, holiday events, and outings. If there was an activity happening, Trudy wanted to be there.

Kiana remembers Trudy taking part in a wheelchair race during a resident Olympics. She did not let using a power wheelchair keep her from joining in.

“She did everything she wanted to,” Kiana said. “She didn't let anything hold her back.”

Her Last Day

Trudy's final day showed the same determination that shaped her life.

She had been declining and had entered hospice care. She was sleeping more and eating very little.

But that morning, Trudy wanted to get up.

She told a nurse that she wanted to go outside and sit by the pond.

“I want to have my time with God,” she said.

Staff helped her get into her power wheelchair. She went outside, sat in the sunshine, and spent time by the pond. A chaplain also came to talk with her.

Then Trudy went inside and did something else she loved. She played bingo.

Afterward, she became tired and asked to return to her room. She went back to bed and died later that day.

Kiana said Trudy seemed to know exactly how she wanted to spend her final hours.

“She went out on her own terms,” Kiana said.

What Trudy Leaves Behind

About 30 people attended Trudy's funeral. Many of them stood up to talk about her. Some had known her for years; others had met her later in life. They all had something to say.

Her family remembers her fierce independence, her friends think about her smile. The people who worked with her remember her kindness and her ability to make everyone laugh. And the people who cared for her remember that her circumstances never defined her.

Her story began with someone telling her parents to expect the worst — and her life became something else entirely.

She worked. She lived independently. She made friends everywhere she went. She chose her own clothes, cared for her cats, played bingo, and spent her final morning outside in the sunshine.

Her brother-in-law, Rich Marston, believes the message Trudy would leave for families facing a difficult diagnosis is simple:

“Don't be afraid to try what you want to do.”

That is the life Trudy Finke lived. And that is the life she leaves behind.