ESTHER LORENE MARDIS TROUT

Esther Lorene Mardis Trout, age 99, of Raymore, Missouri, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 25, 2022 at the Saint Luke's Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri and is now at home with our Lord and Savior.

Memorial services will be held at Cullen Funeral Home, 612 W. Foxwood Dr. Raymore, Missouri 64083 on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by an Eastern Star and memorial service at 11:00 a.m. On a later date, Esther will be laid to rest at Leavenworth National Cemetery with her husband, Melvin.

Esther was born in North Salem, Missouri on September 4, 1922 to Dillard Vernon Mardis and Gladys (Crawford) Mardis. After graduating high school, she continued her education with some college courses before entering the work force. During high school she lettered in basketball (as a center) and was a member of the National Honor Society. In college she became a member of Phi Kappa Sigma. In the spring of 1949, Esther was joined in marriage with her late husband Melvin on April 8th. Their union was blessed with one daughter, Nanette. Esther was proud to be an American and that her husband and brothers all served honorably in WWII. She was brought up during the great depression, so Esther knew the value of a good work ethic, working from the age of eighteen to sixty-six. During her working career she joined the National Secretaries Association and American Business Women's Association and later joined Elizabeth Chapter #142 Order of the Eastern Star.

In life Esther loved to read, crochet, and collect Kewpies. Whether she was caring for her husband, daughter, siblings, or other family, Esther was a protector of her family. She also had an interesting sense of humor that anyone around her would recognize. She loved hearing "Aunt" and "Great Aunt" at the family reunions. When anyone told Esther I love you, she would say "I love you back." No one ever loved a daughter more, unless it was Nanette's dad; he truly adored her. Esther will join him now in watching over her and Michael and their families.

Esther was preceded in death by her loving husband, Melvin Trout; parents, Dillard and Gladys Mardis; and eight siblings, Allen Crawford Mardis, Helen LeNelle Mardis Taylor, Elizabeth Ann Mardis Kordsiemon, Dillard Vernon Mardis Jr., John Edward Mardis, Robert Howard Mardis, Ava Rogene Mardis Morrison, and Jefferson Rolland Maris II.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Nanette Ham (Michael); three grandchildren, Tammi Liebsch (Larry Jr.), Kelly Herod, and David Ham (Jennifer); six great grandchildren, Jacob, Brooke (Bryce), Ella, Emillia, Izaiah, and Micah; and one great-great grandchild on the way, Wyatt Ray, as well as her loved nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Saint Luke's Hospice House, 3516 Summit St., Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org or the American Heart Association www.heart.org

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278