Leona Marie Elizabeth Trost, age 90, a long time Elizabeth, Illinois resident, died on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at SSM Monroe Hospice. Leona was born on April 5, 1934 in Woodbine, Illinois, the daughter of John and Marie (Ege) Krohmer. She graduated from Stockton High School in 1952 and was united in marriage to the love of her life Wayne Trost on January 11, 1953 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Elizabeth.
Leona was a longtime and loyal member of St. Paul Lutheran Church. For many years she worked at the Elizabeth Weekly News. Among her many interests, she enjoyed keeping genealogical records for the Brudi/Knauer/Krohmer families and helping the Elizabeth Historical Society with their obituary collections. She was so proud of her heritage from Dettingen, Germany and grew up speaking German with her parents and siblings. Her family’s visits to her Dettingen cousins were some of her favorite memories. Another favorite memory for Leona is a hot-air balloon ride over to Jo Daviess County that she took with son Bruce in 2016.
Leona had many hobbies that she pursued with a passion, including playing euchre and hand-and-foot, doing counted cross- stitch, putting together jigsaw puzzles, making beautiful sewing crafts, adding to her many collections, having large family gatherings, and following the Chicago Cubs. Most of all, she loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. Faith and family was most important to her.
Extra special to Leona were all her godchildren, Sonja, Chris, Betty, Maxine, Mary, Lisa, and Kristin.
She will be dearly missed by her three children, Steven (Wendy) Trost of Monroe, Bruce (Brenda) Trost of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Patricia Klein of Mt. Carroll, IL; seven grandchildren, Susan (Eric) Brashaw, Freeport, Carson (Ileana) Barnett, Murray, KY, Brian (Erin) Trost, Verona, Jeffrey (Julia) Trost, Mill Valley, CA, Lori (Dan Aeling) Barnett, Freeport, Scott (Julie) Trost, Charleston, SC, Craig (Megan) Trost, Madison; eight great grandchildren, Brodie and Leela Barnett, Jake and Maggie Trost, Walker and Grey Trost, Clark and Marie Trost; and her dear sister and friend, Connie Mueller of Monroe.
Leona was preceded in death by “a peach of a man” (her words) her husband of 62 years, Wayne, on April 20, 2015; brothers, Wayne (Joyce) Krohmer, Ted (Velda) Krohmer; and brothers-in-law, Gus Mueller, Bob (Thelma) Trost, and Derryl (Maribell) Trost.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2024, with visitation from 9 to 11 am and memorial service at 11 am, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Elizabeth, with Pastor Mike Nesbit officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in Woodbine Cemetery, Woodbine, Illinois. The Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, is assisting the family. Condolences may be shared at www.newcomerfuneralhome.net
