Gertrude “Trudy” Dorothea Gardner Pival, age 86, died Sept. 15 at Harrison Hospital after an extended illness.

She was born June 17, 1916, in Seattle.

She attended Holy Rosary Grade School and West Seattle High School, where she excelled in music. After graduation, she studied professionally at the St. Louis Conservatory School of Music in Missouri.

An illness in her family prevented her from accepting an invitation to attend the Julliard School of Music. She elected instead to continue her studies at both the Cornish School of the Allied Arts and Seattle College (now Seattle University), graduating with a degree in philosophy in 1939.

She later took graduate courses in music at the University of Washington.

She continued teaching piano and performing for 70 years, including volunteering as an organist and pianist at St. Anne and Our Lady of Fatima parishes in Seattle and St. Cecilia parish on Bainbridge Island.

She also taught piano for nine years at the Seattle campus of Convent of the Sacred Heart, Forest Ridge.

Her greatest joy was nurturing piano students of all ages. She was a member of the Association of Catholic Childhood, the Seattle Ladies Musical Arts Society, Children of Mary Sodality and the Seattle University Alumni Association.

Her husband of 49 years, Paul John Pival, D.D.S., preceded her in death in June 1990.

She is survived by her six children — Paul J. Pival, Jr. of Bainbridge Island, Judith A. (Neal L.) Wilson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla, Philip S. Pival of Mililani Town, Hawaii, Mary Jane (Stuart N.) Walton of Bainbridge, Frank G. Pival of Kingston, and Mark J Pival of Seattle; 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A funeral mass was held Sept. 19 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church. Private interment was at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent to Catholic Charities, Seattle University Fine Arts Department or St. Cecilia Catholic School c/o St. Cecilia Catholic Church.