Obituaries
Obituary for Helen A. Trott
PEORIA-Helen A. Trott, 101, of Peoria, passed away at 12:54 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2010 at her residence. She was born on December 13, 1908 in Exira, Iowa to Shompier and Anna Lorentz Bintner. She married James A. Trott on June 9, 1941 in Petersburg, VA. He passed away on September 12, 1992 in Peoria. She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Mary Ann Hill, seven brothers and two sisters. She is survived by two daughters, Elaine (Gary) Lamm of Mapleton, IL. and Sally (Lee) Cole of Lafayette, IN; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one sister, Sr. Lourita Bintner of Colorado Springs, CO. Helen was a RN. She was licensed and worked in six different states. She was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Bartonville where a Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010 with Rev. David C. Heinz officiating. Visitation will be one hour before the Mass at the church. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in West Peoria. Wright & Salmon Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Charity of the Donor’s Choice. Tributes and condolences may be submitted to www.wrightandsalmon.com HELEN TROTT MY MOM, HELEN, WAS AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN-AN INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO KNEW HER. HELEN WAS THE SEVENTH CHILD OF ELEVEN CHILDREN. SHE HAD SEVEN BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS. FOR HIGH SCHOOL, SHE WENT TO A BOARDING SCHOOL IN DES MOINES, lA WHERE SHE GRADUATED AT AGE 16. HELEN DECIDED TO BECOME A TEACHER. SHE TAUGHT IN A ONE ROOM SCHOOL WHICH INCLUDED HER BROTHERS AND SISTER. WHILE HER THREE SISTERS BECAME NUNS, HELEN DECIDED TO FURTHER HER EDUCATION AND GRADUATED FROM NURSES TRAINING IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, lA, BECOMING A REGISTERED NURSE. SHE WAS LICENSED AND WORKED IN SIX STATES-lA, CA, OH, MI, VA, AND lL. ON JUNE 9,1941, HELEN BINTNER MARRIED JAMES A TROTT IN PETERSBURG, VA, WHERE HE WAS A CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER IN THE ARMY DURING WWII. THIS QUICK SUMMARY OF HELEN'S EARLY LIFE MAY NOT SEEM SO EXTRAORDINARY TO US TODAY, BUT BACK IN THE EARLY 1900'S FOR A WOMAN TO GET A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, TEACH, BECOME A NURSE, WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME, AND GO CROSS COUNTRY TO LIVE WAS UNBELIEVABLE. SHE ACCOMPLISHED NOT JUST ONE, BUT ALL FIVE OF THESE THINGS BY HER EARLY TWENTIES. IT HAS BEEN AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE, MOM HAS INSPIRED THESE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS WITH HER SPUNKY DETERMINATION. BEATING ALL ODDS BY COMING THROUGH MAJOR SURGERIES, CRIPPLING RHUEMATOID ARTHRITIS, OSTEOPORISIS, AND HER BROKEN BONES, MINI STROKES, AND CANCER. UNBELIEVABLE, BUT TRUE MOST OF THE TIME MOM DID THIS WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF MEDICATIONS. HER MENTAL SHARPNESS, HER WIT, AND HER CONSISTENT SMILE WERE TRULY HELEN'S TRADEMARKS. SHE HAD SUCH AN OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE, INNER STRENGTH, AND SPUNK THAT ENABLED HER TO SURPASS THE CENTURY MARK LIVING INTO HER 102nd YEAR. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ADJECTIVES TO DESCRIBE THIS FANTASTIC, INCREDIBILY AWESOME LADY WHO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO CALL MOM. I WANT TO THANK EACH OF THE PALLBEARERS, READERS, AND GIFT BEARERS,INDlVlDUALLY AS SHE HAD A SPECIAL BOND AND LOVE FOR EACH OF YOU. ANOTHER BIG THANK YOU TO BEL-WOOD NURSING HOME FOR MAKING HER FINAL MONTHS AS PLEASANT AS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION A SINCERE THANK YOU TO A TERRIFIC HOSPICE ORGANIZATION CALLED PASSAGES WHICH PROVIDED SUPPORTIVE COMFORT CARE. LILLY AND TINA WERE MOM'S SPECIAL EARTH ANGELS WHO HELPED TO GUIDE HER TO HER FINAL HOME. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A SORROWFUL OCCASSION, BUT RATHER A CELEBRATION OF HELEN'S LIFE HERE ON EARTH AND HER CONTINUING LIFE IN HEAVEN. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO CELEBRATE WlTH US. WRITTEN BY ELAINE LAMM
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