McElhinney, Waltraud “Traudy” (Jaeger), of West Roxbury, MA, died peacefully on November 5, 2022 after a brief illness. She was 80. Steadfast wife of Philip J. McElhinney of West Roxbury. Devoted mother to Kara J. Stoecker and her husband Falko of Hamburg, Germany. Doting grandmother of Emma and Eleanor. Also survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family members.
Born on January 7, 1942 in Kiel, Germany to the late Irma Jaeger and Werner Kielgast, she was raised from a young age by the late Emma and Johannes Baasch in Kronshagen. After earning a certificate in Retail Marketing in Kiel and managing a chocolate shop in Flensburg, Traudy’s sense of adventure led her to emigrate to the US in 1966 and spend two years employed as an au pair in Stamford, CT. After short stints as a bookkeeper in Stamford and San Francisco, she made her way to Boston where she spent over ten years working as an accounts manager and payroll officer at Grahm Junior College, the Combined Insurance Company of America, and several other institutions. Traudy and Phil married in 1981. She had always enjoyed caring for and working with children, and after the birth of her daughter she began her second career as a pre-school teacher. Traudy graduated from Wheelock College in 1995 with an Associate‘s Degree in Early Childhood Education. After over ten years as a teacher at the Village Preschool in Roslindale, she began her third career as a dining room server at Fox Hill Village in Westwood, a job which she truly loved and which she continued to do until her retirement in 2017. Traudy was a lifelong cat lover and also enjoyed socializing and simply being with people. She was generous to those in need and regularly gave to several charities.
Visiting hours at 9:30am on Monday, November 14th at Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Centre St. West Roxbury. Funeral Mass to follow at 11:30am at Holy Name Church in West Roxbury. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Traudy’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Born on January 7, 1942 in Kiel, Germany to the late Irma Jaeger and Werner Kielgast, she was raised from a young age by the late Emma and Johannes Baasch in Kronshagen. After earning a certificate in Retail Marketing in Kiel and managing a chocolate shop in Flensburg, Traudy’s sense of adventure led her to emigrate to the US in 1966 and spend two years employed as an au pair in Stamford, CT. After short stints as a bookkeeper in Stamford and San Francisco, she made her way to Boston where she spent over ten years working as an accounts manager and payroll officer at Grahm Junior College, the Combined Insurance Company of America, and several other institutions. Traudy and Phil married in 1981. She had always enjoyed caring for and working with children, and after the birth of her daughter she began her second career as a pre-school teacher. Traudy graduated from Wheelock College in 1995 with an Associate‘s Degree in Early Childhood Education. After over ten years as a teacher at the Village Preschool in Roslindale, she began her third career as a dining room server at Fox Hill Village in Westwood, a job which she truly loved and which she continued to do until her retirement in 2017. Traudy was a lifelong cat lover and also enjoyed socializing and simply being with people. She was generous to those in need and regularly gave to several charities.
Visiting hours at 9:30am on Monday, November 14th at Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Centre St. West Roxbury. Funeral Mass to follow at 11:30am at Holy Name Church in West Roxbury. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Traudy’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
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