Gertrud Camacho

Gertrud Angela Camacho departed this earthly life on June 12, 2018, at the age of 92, and has now seen the glory of the Lord. Born in 1926 in Austria she led a courageous life. As a teenager, she survived the bombing of her family home in Linz, Austria, and the subsequent occupation of her native country. She immigrated to the United States in l950 after marrying her husband John Camacho, a “Tech Sergeant” in the U.S. Army. They made their first home in the Bronx and Gertrud learned English while ushering at the movies in Times Square. After being stationed in Germany, Italy, and several other military bases throughout the world, she, John and their four children eventually settled in El Paso, Texas. From the porch swing in the backyard, their ranch home had a majestic view of the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains, which reminded Gertrud of the beloved Alps of her childhood. With a degree in business and finance, she soon became a manager at JC Penney. Thirty-two years into their marriage, John suddenly died at age 52. While grieving this devastating loss, she kept working and raising their youngest child, who was still living at home and in high school. Gertrud found great joy in her grandchildren, in zipping around in her white Grand Am, and traveling to Austria to visit her family. At the age of seventy, soon after her retirement at JC Penney, she began losing her vision. Her fierce independent spirit could not be quelled by her loss of sight. She relocated to Chattanooga in l998 where she continued taking daily walks, cooking meals for her family (while sipping on a Heineken), listening to books on tape, socializing with her new friends, and rocking her great-grandchildren to sleep. She will be dearly missed by all of her loving family. Preceding her in death were her parents, Franz and Angela Enzenebner; brother, Franz; and the love of her life, her husband John with whom she shared 32 years together. She is survived by her brother, Gerald Enzenebner and his wife Traudi; and her loving children, son, John (Marcie) Camacho; daughters, Patricia (Suresh) Enjeti, Dianna (John) Naylor and Jeanette (George) Sibley; 12 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank Dr. Heisser and all the special angels at Soddy-Daisy Healthcare for their tender loving care during Trudy's stay. Visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday, June 18, at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, followed by a vigil service. There will be a celebration of her life at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Soddy Daisy Tuesday, June 19, at 11 a.m. officiated by Monsignor Al Humbrecht. She will be laid to rest with her late husband in Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, Texas Monday, June 25, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-9959. Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com