Retired South Kingstown Police Detective, Gertrude P. Grinnell, Passes 94
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Gertrude "Trudy" (Perkins) Anderson-Grinnell, age 94, of Port Charlotte, Florida passed away at her home earlier this year.
A daughter of the late Gladys (Hutchins) and Donald Hodge Perkins, she spent her youth in South Kingstown, moving to Florida 11 years ago.
She was a graduate of South Kingstown High School, Class of 1945, and Roger Williams College, Class of 1981 after attending their evening division classes in Providence, earning a degree in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement. Beginning her career as a Police Matron and secretary with North Kingstown Police Department in 1966, by 1973 she became one of the first female Police Officers with South Kingstown Police Dept., retiring as Detective in 1987. Called an expert and perfectionist by her superiors, she worked closely with the Attorney General filing for timely prosecution of criminals and was active with the Women's Resource Center and Washington County Health Center counseling abused and battered women. Detective Anderson-Grinnell also worked undercover when necessary, was an advisor of Police Cadets, and a speaker to many organizations on Women's Issues and Women in non-traditional careers.
A tenor, she was a 50-year member, past President of her "Little Rest Chapter" and formerly on the Board of Directors of The Sweet Adelines- an International Barbershop Quartet. Active in her communities, she was 2011's Volunteer of the Year for South County Hospital after serving 22 years, and a volunteer at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, and the historical Smith-Appleby House in Smithfield. An animal lover, she formed “The Pet Nanny" pet sitting business in her area for a number of clients. A group of Narragansett fishing family's women formed "The Club" who gathered monthly for over 40 years, many of these women making their mark in the town through their tireless community involvement.
A descendent of the England / Richmond Lillibridge family, in 2000 she helped organize a family reunion and raised funds to restore the original wall in their family cemetery lot in Richmond.
In addition to her surviving immediate families, Trudy " adopted " the late Rita Breard whom she loved and cared for many years prior to her death.
Inurnment will be Tuesday, August 3.2021, at 11:00 A.M. in Rhode Island Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, R.I.