William C. Trudgeon

Laconia----William C. Trudgeon, 87, of 25 Union Avenue died at Genesis Eldercare Network-Laconia Center on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. He was the widower of Alice M. (Wright) Trudgeon who died in 1998. At the time of her death, they had been married for fifty-three years.

Mr. Trudgeon was born December 1, 1922 in Ely, Minnesota, the son of William J. and Hilda Agnes (Gilbertson) Trudgeon. He graduated from Ely High School in 1940 and from Ely Junior College in 1942.

Mr. Trudgeon enlisted and served for 3+ years in the U. S. Navy during World War II with the rank of Athletic Specialist Second Class. In April, 1945, he married Alice M. Wright of Moriah Center, New York. He and his wife, moved to Laconia from Minnesota to work for Lund Ski Mfg. He later was employed as plant manager at Cove Craft, Inc. After twenty-three years of manufacturing, he became self-employed as a painter until retiring in 1990.

When he came to Laconia in 1947, Mr. Trudgeon got completely involved with ski jumping and water skiing. He began his ski jumping in the cold north woods of Minnesota’s arrowhead country in 1935 and retired from active ski jumping in 1970, after years of skiing in the Midwest, Canada and the East. He earned a Class A (World Class) rating after winning on Gunstock’s 70 meter ski jump in 1952. He also was an accredited judge of jumping for college and high school competions. The moment he moved to the Laconia-Gilford area, he got himself involved with the sponsorship and management of all ski jumping events at Gunstock for thirty-five years being co-chairman of many Eastern Championships, two National and two International Championships. With his expertise in ski jump maintenance, he was appointed chief assistant to the chief of hill (70 meter and 90 meter ski jumps) at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York.

Mr. Trudgeon was just as involved with water skiing as snow skiing. He was co-founder of the Weirs Ski Club in 1949 where he taught all phases of competitive water skiing which included tricks, slalom and jumping. He was co-chairman of two Eastern Championships and two National Championships held at the Point at Laconia’s Opechee Park in 1954 and 1959. He was a competitor as a water skier in slalom and jumping as well as a judge (official) as far away as California, Florida, Georgia and Indiana. He served a stint as Eastern Vice President and was on the Board of Directors of the American Water Ski Association. Mr. Trudgeon was the recipient of the 1964 National Boat Driver Award for consistency in towing competitive water skiers in regional and national tournaments. He is listed in the U. S. Water Ski Hall of Fame in Winter Haven, Florida.

Mr. Trudgeon was a past member of the Laconia Country Club, served four years on its Board of Directors and won the Senior Club Championship in 1986. The Laconia Lodge of Elks awarded him the Elk of the Year award in 1973 for his efforts on the Elks Youth Activities Committee.

Survivors include a son, Brian Trudgeon, of Laconia and a daughter, Alison Thibodeau, of Gilford; two grandsons, Christopher Thibodeau and his wife, Natasha, of Penacook and Cory Thibodeau of
Bangor, Maine; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife and his parents, Mr. Trudgeon was predeceased by a brother, E. Lowell Trudgeon, and a sister, June Wright.

There will be no calling hours.

A Memorial Service will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 500 Gilford Avenue, Gilford, N.H. at 11:00 on Saturday, April 3, 2010.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is in charge of the arrangements.