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Trudy Lois (Shields) Babcock

Trudy Lois (Shields) Babcock, 64, died May 25, 2017 at her home with her family at her side, after an eight year battle with cancer. “When you die that doesn’t mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live” (Stuart Scott). Make no mistake – Trudy beat cancer.

Trudy lived 64 years of what she felt was an ordinary life, but her family and friends know she lived an extraordinary life. She loved and cherished her family, her friends, and her beloved community of Ripley, NY.

She was born Jan. 31, 1953, to James D. (Dick) and Sylvia M. (Siby) Shields. A lifelong resident of Ripley, she graduated from Ripley Central School in 1971. It was there she met her high school sweetheart, Dale Babcock and on June 20, 1970, they were married. They had been married for 46 years when he proceeded her in death on Oct. 31, 2016. Trudy is survived by her three children, Lisa Babcock (Dr. Lauree Pless), Daniel (Patty) Babcock, and David (Jill) Babcock, all of Ripley, NY; and five grandchildren: Chelsea, Jason, Kerrigan, Ava, and Charlotte. She was so proud of each of her kids and all of her grandchildren and always said that they were her proudest accomplishment.

Trudy owned the Main Diner in Westfield, NY for six years (1983 to 1989) before owning and operating Meeder’s Restaurant in her treasured community of Ripley, NY from 1989 until her retirement in 2016. Over that 27year tenure at Meeder’s, she made an incredible 194,400 of her famous pies, each from scratch and with love. People however, did not come to Meeder’s for just the food and the homemade pies ä people came to Meeder’s to see and speak with Trudy. She touched thousands of lives and forged too many friendships to even count.

Trudy had unconditional love for her family, her community, and for people. Her dedication and compassion for people, and to her community, were second to none. She donated the use of her business for incalculable community events for the fire department, the school, local churches, and many, many others. She secretly fed countless numbers of senior citizen shut ins in Ripley, Westfield, and North East. Most of the time she delivered the food herself, taking the time for a brief visit. She donated large quantities of food to people who were struggling with life’s challenges and family emergencies. She never hesitated to give people food who were traveling through Ripley that were simply in need of a helping hand. For many years, she sponsored the annual Easter egg hunt for the Town of Ripley youth, stuffing hundreds of plastic eggs with goodies and hiding them each year. The smile of the kids’ faces were all the thanks she needed. In addition, she and Dale were Secret Santa to less fortunate families in Ripley for many years. She felt it was a privilege and her duty to serve her community. In December of 2016, she was recognized for her dedication and love for her community and was named ‘Ripley Citizen of the Year.’

Trudy had served on the Ripley Town Board, the Ripley Zoning Board, the East Cemetery Board, and participated in various community special events throughout the years.

On March 30, 2009, she was diagnosed with cancer and began her life battle. Her strong will to live life to its fullest, her amazing strength, and her unbelievable faith in God, carried her far beyond the expectations of her doctors. She never once complained about her illness and she continued to worry about her family’s and community’s needs right up until the day God came for her. Her unwavering faith, strength, generosity, and her will to survive, were just a part of what made her such an extraordinary person.

In addition to her three children, Trudy is survived by three sisters, Norma Bowen and Linda Gorton of Ripley, and Joyce (Marvin) Zirkle of Brocton, NY.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Dale Babcock, who died Oct. 31, 2016; her father, Dick Shields, who died March 27, 1998; her mother, Siby Shields, who died May 6, 2005; her father-in-law, Gladyn Babcock, who died March 17, 2003; and her mother-in-law, Millie Babcock, who died April 18, 2003.

Trudy’s family would like to publicly thank Dr. Renuka Iyre and her entire staff at Roswell Cancer Institute for their compassion, dedication, kindheartedness, and care that they had provided over the past eight years.

Friends are invited to join family for calling hours on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 12 p.m.-3 p.m., followed by the funeral at 3 p.m., both at First Presbyterian Church, 20 West Main Street, Ripley, NY. Trudy’s family would like to invite friends to join her family for a celebration of life dinner to be held directly after the funeral at Meeder’s Restaurant Banquet Room, 19 East Main Street in Ripley, New York. Committal will be private at East Ripley Cemetery.

Memorials may be made in Trudy’s name to: East Ripley Cemetery, PO Box 308, Ripley, New York 14775; or The First Presbyterian Church of Ripley, 20 West Main Street, Ripley, NY 14775.