Barbaralee Trenary

Barbaralee Trenary, 93, Forest, went home to be with the Lord at 3:30 PM Monday, June 22, 2020, at St. Vincent Hospital, Kokomo. She was born October 21, 1926, to the late Lee and Violet (McCarty) Gunning, in Atlanta, IN.  On May 20, 1951, she married Jack Trenary who preceded her in death on May 20, 2004.

Barbaralee was a 1944 graduate of Tipton High School.  She received her Registered Nursing degree (RN) from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Kokomo.  She worked as a surgical nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, then worked as a registered nurse in many local nursing homes.  She also did private duty nursing and was in the Cadet Nurse Corps established during World War II.

After marrying Jack, she continued her nursing career and helped buy one of their first farms with her earnings.  She drove the tractors to till the ground and hauled grain at harvest.  She cooked and took meals to the field well into her 80s and often ran after farm equipment parts and veterinary supplies for the livestock.

She planted a big garden, canning lots of produce while raising six children; helping them keep up schoolwork, mending clothes and nursing their mishaps.  She cooked many signature dishes for family reunions and prepared huge meals for holidays.  She always had time for others and was more concerned about their well-being than her own.

She and Jack built onto their house to care for her aging mother, providing her an enjoyable life, taking day trips and including her in all the family activities.  They also privately helped people in the community, much of which their children weren’t even aware of until others shared with them years later.

She enjoyed watching old movies, sewing, tending her cats, reading and studying the Bible and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her children, Jerri (Warren) Pearson, Jane Trenary, Jack (Barbara) Trenary II, Jon (Jo) Trenary, Jeff (Jane) Trenary and Jay Trenary; brother-in-law, Mack Trenary; sister-in-law, Peggy Cameron; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband Jack, Barbaralee was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Donald Gunning.

Private funeral services will be held for Barbaralee at Stout & Son funeral home, 200 E. Main St., Russiaville, with Pastor Scott Highlander officiating.  Burial will follow at Russiaville Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the National Kidney Foundation, American Heart Association and the Russiaville, Forest or Michigantown Ambulance or Fire Departments.  Messages of condolence may be left online at www.stoutandson.com.

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