Eturlia “Trudy” Nolia Clinkscaleas’ journey began on Tuesday, May 10, 1938, when she was born to Hannah Lucille Hayes and Frank Clinkscaleas in Anderson, South Carolina. Eturlia was the eldest of her siblings; Franklin “Chuck” Clinkscaleas, Harold Dennis Jones, and Annie Ruth Hamilton.

Growing up in the deep south of Anderson, South Carolina, Eturlia was known to everyone as Trudy, but most people referred to her as “Ms. Trudy,” out of respect. Like many Black Americans in the 1940s, Eturlia received a primary education and soon went off to work as a sharecropper to support her family. Eturlia wasn’t a sharecropper for very long; by the time the 1950s rolled in, she became a housekeeper and introduced the world to her firstborn child, Vickie Diane Clinkscaleas on July 26, 1957.

In the late 1950s, Eturlia made her big move to New York for better job opportunities for herself and her family. Leaving her family behind and moving to New York from South Carolina wasn’t easy. However, when Eturlia Clinkscaleas made her New York debut at the start of the 1960s, the renowned Ms. Trudy came to life.

During her journey, Trudy adapted to the New York life with ease. Enamored with the New York lifestyle, Trudy joined the ranks of sophisticated Black socialites who were synonymous with the Interboro Club. In joining the Interboro Club, Trudy helped craft a rich tradition of planning charity events, card games, and formal dances. True to fashion, Trudy was the life of the party in every room she walked into.

During her socialite years, Trudy was known for her legendary card games playing blackjack, spades, and whatever game she knew to win your last 20 dollars. As a blooming socialite, Trudy would make money off of card games that would last well into the night and early morning. Her card games were so legendary that she could run gamblers for their rent with ease, but even though she was masterful at getting people to spend their money at her games, she would give someone in need the food off her plate or her last 10 dollars. Trudy also had a giving nature.

Although Trudy enjoyed the New York nightlife, Eturlia Clinkscaleas enjoyed motherhood. Shortly after moving from South Carolina, Eturlia Clinkscaleas gave birth to her first son, Keith Price, on January 26, 1962. Soon after the birth of her first son, she met the love of her life and her soulmate, Eugene Ulmer, in Long Island, New York. Trudy and Eugene shared a love so strong and so deep that it resulted in the birth of their five children: Marcello Ulmer born on August 18, 1964, Gina Letice Hollon born on May 7, 1967, Mark Clinkscaleas born on April 8, 1968, Dethress Ulmer-Lesley born on October 31, 1969, and Sharon Yvette Ulmer born on November 2, 1970. Trudy and Eugene raised all seven children together in Freeport, New York, where they would call it their home.

To support all seven of her children, Trudy enjoyed a career working at Nassau University Medical Center in their environmental services, taking care of the hospital where so many doctors and nurses worked. It is there where she would work until her retirement.

In retirement, there is usually a natural slow down in the day to day life of retired individuals. That in no means was Trudy Clinkscaleas. In her retirement, Trudy kept a very active social and family life. Trudy and her soulmate Eugene Ulmer traveled across the United States and had many adventures together. Together they went to Niagara Falls and the Canadian border. Together they traveled to Atlantic City to play rounds of blackjack. Together they explored Las Vegas, Nevada. Together they journeyed all across the Atlantic, to Atlanta, Virginia, the Carolinas, and the Bahamas.

Trudy did more than travel across the United States in her retirement; she stayed close to all of her children and many grandchildren. Even at her famous card and BINGO games, Trudy would make time for all of her grandchildren; she even taught a few how to play spades. Trudy babysat, changed diapers, attended graduations, weddings, proms, court hearings, and threw down in the kitchen for Thanksgivings, Christmas’, Birthdays, and every Easter Sunday.

If there was one thing Trudy never had to brag about, it was her legendary cooking; it spoke for itself. Trudy’s legendary cuisine and cooking skills are known throughout all of Long Island to this day! Neighbors, friends, even her children’s classmates used to line up for a plate of her cooking just to get a taste. Trudy was known for her famous; Macaroni n’ Cheese, Collard Greens, Ham, Turkey legs, Black Eyed Peas, Fried Chicken, Banana Pudding, and last but not least a Sweet Potato Pie that puts Patti Labelle’s to shame.

Trudy’s famous cooking wasn’t the only thing that she was known for: she had a fighting spirit well into her late retirement. Throughout her life, she survived many life events that would attempt to knock her down, but she would get up again. Miss Trudy lived her life on her own time, by her own rules; every time life would come to knock her down, she would get right back up and answer not today.

Eturlia Clinkscaleas lived life by her own rules and on her time. So, on Thursday, April 23, 2020, Ms. Eturlia Clinkscaleas decided that it was time for her sun to set. She joins her mother Hannah Lucille Hayes, her father Frank Clinkscaleas, her sister Annie Ruth Hamilton, and the love of her life and her soul mate Eugene Ulmer with our lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Eturlia Clinkscaleas is survived by her brothers Franklin “Chuck” Clinkscaleas and Harold Dennis Jones, her children; Vickie Diane Clinkscaleas, Keith Price, Marcello Ulmer, Ute Johnson, Gina Letice Hollon, Stephen Hollon, Mark Clinkscaleas, Cynthia Davis, Dethress Ulmer-Lesley, and Sharon Yvette Ulmer-Eason. Along with a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family and friends.

Eturlia Clinkscaleas passes on her seven children as her legacy, and with them, she gives her recipes, her beliefs, generations of amazing stories, and a fighting spirit.