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Marie Gertrude Toscano
May 30, 1921 to March 12, 2022
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Our loving and extraordinary mother, Marie Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Toscano, formerly from New Castle, PA, passed away of natural decline at the age of 100. She was the daughter of George W and Marie M. (Connors) Stevens. She was preceded in death by her first loving husband, Stanley Paul.
Trudy graduated from New Castle High School in 1939. Her passion for educating children would be delayed until WWII ended. She married her high school love, Stanley Paul in May, 1941, before the Army sent him to Europe. After the war, Trudy embarked on fulfilling her dream of raising a family with Stanley and teaching. Trudy’s teaching career began at St. Mary’s Catholic School. During this time, she realized her passion was educating and empowering “special needs” children. She continued her education at Slippery Rock College and earned a degree in Special Education. This would be the beginning of a remarkable teaching career.
The family moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio where Trudy was hired as a Special Education Coordinator by the Shaker Heights School System. She was asked to restructure the special education dept. The Shaker School System has long been recognized for the high percentage of students receiving meritorious scholarships and membership in the National Honors Society. Trudy accomplished much during her 18 years of enriching the lives of “special needs children” in the Shaker School System. She established the first vocational/academic recreational center in Ohio, Y.E.S Camp for “special needs” children preschool through high school. This facility developed into a million-dollar enterprise whereby young “special needs” adults were trained to become productive and self-sufficient in the work world.
One parent recalled the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, “To miss the joy is to miss all.” These were her words after having observed Trudy in the classroom. It is a joy not only of gratitude, but a mixture of awe and happiness that comes rarely in a lifetime. She was truly outstanding, not only because she gave so much of herself to the children in the classroom, but at the same she strove to improve the quality of life for the handicapped in the community. In the words of Director of Special Services of Shaker Heights City School District, “without qualification, I rate Mrs. Paul as the most effective special education teacher I have supervised in my 24 years of special education administration.”
In 1980, The National Foundation for The Advancement of Education, honored Trudy with Enrollment in the “Who’s Who” Among American Special Educators. Trudy received “Our Cup Runneth Over” award for the most outstanding educator in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, “one who brings honor to the teaching profession”. Trudy created and patented a stencil kit to help “special needs children” to learn cursive writing.
At the age of 50, Trudy embarked on a new teaching career with the Department of Defense, Dependent Schools in Alexandria, VA. As a Special Education Specialist/Coordinator she designed and developed in service training for special education teachers, school psychologists, and served as a liaison between DODDS and the Office of Overseas Schools, U.S. Department of State. She traveled to US military bases throughout the world to observe and improve teacher’s performance in the classroom. Trudy was a student of American History. She traced her ancestry back to William Davis who fought for our American Independence in the Revolutionary War. She was accepted as a member to the National Society of the Daughters of The American Revolution in 2011.
In addition to her firstt husband, she was preceded in death by her sister Norma Doyle; brothers, George and Edwin Stevens; her son, Richard Paul; and by her second loving husband, Chester Toscano.
Trudy is survived by her son Ronald Paul, daughters Natasha Paul and Trudy Paul-Bennardo, brother Richard Stevens, sister Nadyne Klingensmith, 9 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Private services, officiated by Deacon John Carran of Holy Spirit Parish, will be held at the William F. & Roger M. DeCarbo Funeral Home, 926 Cunningham Avenue.
Eternal rest grant unto Trudy, O Lord. Let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
