Esther (Olson) Trail

Esther Genevieve Trail (nee Olson), 92, formerly of Roselle IL, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2014 in Naperville IL.

Visitation and the funeral service will be held at Cataldo Schott Funeral Home (formerly Petersen Lund) at 505 N. Clark St., Forest City Iowa on Saturday, December 27th. Visitation will begin at 10:00am and the funeral service will begin at 11:00am. Burial will be at the First Baptist Cemetery (Oakland Cemetery) in Forest City.

Esther was born in Forest City, Iowa to John and Ellen Olson on July 29, 1922. She graduated from Forest City HS in 1940 and earned her teaching degree at Waldorf College. Esther met her husband of 56 years, Orval Trail, in fifth grade and they continued as classmates in high school and college. She was a devoted elementary school teacher for a number of years. Her deep love of children began when she babysat nephews and nieces as a teenager. This devotion to nurturing the lives and potential of children was manifest throughout her life as a schoolteacher, a mother, a Sunday school teacher for over 40 years, a spouse of a public school superintendent and a grandmother. She showed genuine delight in children and they were naturally attracted to her interest and positive attention. Throughout her life she was an active volunteer and leader in civic clubs, women’s groups and numerous church activities. She led a women’s Bible study for many years, drove people to church, befriended many and supported missionaries throughout the world. Esther loved to travel and learn about the local culture and history of places she visited. Gardening, sewing, crafts, calligraphy and baking were some of her many hobbies she used to help others by bringing homemade cookies to meetings, writing nametags in calligraphy for a women’s retreat or coming up with a creative visual exercise to illustrate a message in a Sunday School lesson. She is remembered for her warm kindness, sweet smile with a twinkle in her eye, her commitment to prayer, her service to others and her amazing hot out of the oven homemade cinnamon rolls. Creating a loving and supportive home with special holiday traditions, homemade meals and unconditional love was her great joy. A deep and abiding Christian faith in a loving God guided her life of service to others.

Esther is preceded in death by husband, Dr. Orval L. Trail; daughter, Dr. Lora Tyson; son-in-law Ro Tyson; parents, John and Ellen Olson; and siblings, Dorothy Westerberg, Lloyd Olson and Donald Olson.

Esther is survived by three of her four daughters Ruth Anerino (Greg) of Naperville IL; Beth Hale (John) of Spicewood TX and Karin Trail-Johnson (Doug) of St. Paul MN; her grandchildren, Todd (Emily), Brian, Scott and Eric Anerino; Dr. Ian Tyson and Brent Tyson; Jennifer (Jason) Hale Adams; Bjorn, Erik and Elise Trail-Johnson and a great granddaughter, Keirra Tyson and many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The Orval and Esther Trail Scholarship Fund at Waldorf College 106 S. 6th St, Forest City IA, 50436; World Relief 1825 College Ave #230, Wheaton IL, 60187; Fairmount Avenue Methodist Church 1523 Fairmount Ave, St. Paul MN, 55105; or a charity of your choosing.
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