Mary Agnes (Bell) TRAGER

TRAGER, BELL, QUINN, LETTE, GIMBERG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/7/2007 at 12:13:48

March 23, 2004

Mary Agnes Trager, age 90, died on Tuesday, March 16, at the Belmond Health Care Center. Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 20, at the St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Belmond. Rev. Rod Hopp officiated with Harry Gimberg assisting. Burial was in the St. Olaf Cemetery. Music was provided by Carol Severson, organist. Harry Gimberg sang a solo accompanied by Janeen Gimberg. A duet was sung Jerry Christians and Sue Toftey. Honorary bearers were Reed and Austin Lette, Sanford Severson and Cliff Toft. Casket bearers were Larry Severson, Steve McLaughlin, Phil Johnson, Edwin Johnson, Wayne Lonnevik, Jeff Erickson and Marvin Lonnevik.

Mary Agnes was born on November 7, 1913 in Peekskill, New York, the daughter of George Washington and Catherine Cecilia (Quinn) Bell. She attended schools through the 10th grade and then stayed at home to help raise her siblings. She married Arthur Reed Trager on January 6, 1946, at the First Methodist Church in Peekskill. They made their home on the Trager family farm near Belmond. Two years later they returned to the eastern U.S. In 1958 they moved back to the farm in Iowa where they raised their children. They moved into Belmond in 1991. Mary was devoted to her family. She and Art would enjoy traveling to visit their daughters. Much of Mary's time was spent raising their niece and nephews, to whom she was like a mother. Time shared with her grandsons, Austin and Reed Lette, was especially precious to her. Mary was a long time member of The Chit & Chat Club. She loved gardening and raising flowers. Music also brought her great joy and relaxation. She was a meticulous and tireless housekeeper. Mary was a faithful member of the St. Olaf Lutheran Church for the past 40 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant son, Arthur Reed Jr.; brothers, Haviland, George, Samuel and Bernard; and sisters, Catherine and Bernadine. Survivors include her daughters, Linda Trager and Naomi (Mike) Lette and their children, Austin and Reed all of Belmond; son, Harry (Janeen) Gimberg of Brooklyn Heights, Minnesota; and sister-in-law, Bertha Bell of Peekskill, New York.

©Belmond Independent 2004