Gertrude Brigham, 96, passed away peacefully May 14, 2021, at Oak Crest in DeKalb.
She was a spectacular wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt. She touched the lives of everyone she came into contact with and made them better. Simply put, she loved people.
She was born in 1925 in Hinsdale to Rose and Cameron Fish, the second youngest of four girls. Her father was a lawyer and her mother was a housewife, but eventually she became a travel agent after Gertrude’s father passed away when she was 18 years old. She taught physical education and coached girls sports at DeKalb Senior High School for close to 30 years. In addition, she had the distinction of coaching two Illinois state champion girls bowling and badminton teams.
She met Robert Brigham at Northern Illinois State Teachers College. The two were married in June 1949 in a double wedding with her sister, Josephine, and her future husband, Bart Main.
She loved retirement and being a homemaker and living in DeKalb, but once in a while would admit missing the high school students and coaching. Bob and Gert’s favorite food was hands down ice cream. The fall was always a cherished time when the NIU Football season arrived every year. In 2003 her husband Bob was honored with the Football Field at Huskie Stadium being named “Brigham Field”.
The family would like to give special thanks to all the wonderful staff at Oak Crest and also the kindness bestowed on to Bob and Gertrude from the Northern Illinois University Athletic Department, Dr. Dennis Collins DDS and Dr. Dhaval Thakkar of the Northwestern Medicine Group and Dr. Tony Choi from Midwest Orthopedics.
Gertrude is survived by her sister, Marguerite Key; her two sons, Bob (Alina) and David; her grandchildren, Samantha, Vera, Ben and Alex; her great-grandchildren, Mason, Harper and Logan; and nine nieces and nephews and their children.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; her sisters, Rosalie Herzog Ill and Josephine (Bert) Main; and her nephews, Thomas Main and Harold Colwell.
The funeral and burial service will be held Monday, May 24, for family and close friends. No flowers or memorials are necessary.
Anderson Funeral Home in DeKalb handled the arrangements.
