Personal Narrative: We Work Hard For The Money

“We had so many wonderful times together. One of our favorite songs that we would sing when we would go to work at the Institute in the mornings as we arrived was ‘We Work Hard for the Money’ [from the Donna Summer song] and burst out in laughter!” In this great dispensation, art (or a profession) is identical with an act of worship and this is a clear text of the Blessed Perfection. (Baha'i World Faith, p. 377) David Hoffman sent recollections of Grandma Trudy via email: “I have very fond memories of ‘Grandma Trudy’ (that’s what we always called her once Homeira and I had our children). I first met Trudy in 1984 when I came to LGI [Louis Gregory Institute] as a homefront pioneer from Los Angeles. She was such an amazing spirit! Totally focused, completely consecrated to Baha’u’llah and always ready to take on any task on His behalf.”
“There is one story in particular that I remember and which in many ways really captures Trudy’s essence. We were out and about in the various communities that surrounded Hemmingway teaching in advance of the Ridvan election period. We had a particular mission - to locate some Baha’is in one of the

briefly in 1984 and Trudy would come to Kingstree. We had some stressful times. Laura Shell, a voice of Bahai Radio and an African-American, lived with us in our home. When she registered to vote, the police realized she was living at our address. They did not like that she lived on the ‘white’ side of the tracks and began following the Baha'is around. During these times Trudy was very supportive telling us to hang in there. She really knew how to draw people into a meeting. I admired the way she loved and supported her own children. I had the opportunity to know Phillip and Annette in Asheville. Trudy was down to earth – not walking on holy air. While she worked very hard for the Faith she never needed accolades for her teaching and supporting