Trudy Busch Valentine is a mother, nurse, supporter of children’s causes, and a fourth-generation Missourian running for the U.S. Senate to put people first — with honesty and integrity.
Trudy Busch Valentine was raised by parents who lived the American Dream, and they taught her the values of commitment, independence, and serving others. As a 13-year-old, she volunteered as a candy striper at a local hospital, sparking a lifelong passion for nursing and a commitment to service.
Trudy is the daughter of Gertrude Buholzer Busch and August (Gussie) Anheuser Busch Jr., who grew the Anheuser-Busch companies into the largest brewery in the world. Trudy grew up at Grant’s Farm with her six siblings and credits her parents and the workers at Grant’s Farm for forming “the village” that raised her, with many of them becoming friends, mentors, and co-workers who shaped who she is today.
Trudy’s faith and Jesuit education instilled in her the core values that she lives by to this day: “The pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.” In 2007 Trudy earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral studies from the Aquinas Institute of Theology.
Service to her community has inspired Trudy her entire life. She graduated from Saint Louis University with a nursing degree in 1980, and she worked at the Salvation Army Residence for Children, where she cared for vulnerable and homeless children.
Trudy’s life has been touched by personal tragedy, which has deepened her commitment to support other families facing tough circumstances. Trudy’s husband John Valentine died of cancer when he was only 49 years old, leaving her a single mom raising six children. In 2020, Trudy’s oldest son Matthew died after a years-long battle with opioid addiction. Trudy is keenly aware that we need real answers to the opioid epidemic that has taken the lives of too many Missourians.
Trudy is still a nurse at heart today. Trudy serves on a nursing board and works with multiple charitable organizations that focus on children’s issues. In 2019, Saint Louis University established the “Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudy volunteered to vaccinate Missourians, and she administered hundreds of shots. And as a former nurse, she knows first-hand how precious healthcare is to families, and how important it is to get healthcare costs down so that every family can have access to quality care.
Now, Trudy is running for U.S. Senate to put politics aside, to stand up for all the families who are just barely getting by, and put Missourians first.