Verna Trainer
Age - 91
December 3, 2023
We would like to share some highlights of our amazing Mother's life. Verna May (Foust) TrainerVerna May Foust has the last of eight children, born May 29, 1932, on the family farm south of Miller, SD, to Clara Rose (Kosak) and William Cleveland Foust. Mom completed her journey in life on December 1, 2023, by joining her parents, 7 siblings, her husband, 5 nieces and 8 nephews. Growing up on the farm, Mom developed her love for all animals. At a very early age she learned if she climbed a ladder, got up into the wagon she could then mount her pony. One day she talked her brother Richard into allowing her to use his Army saddle. He told her "Don't loosen the strap!" Well, when she got to school, she did just that, she loosened the strap. Before heading home, remembering to tighten the strap, but she did not get it tight enough and as the horse galloped off for home the saddle slipped, and Mom found herself sitting upside down under the horse. The horse stopped immediately in his tracks. After that he became her favorite horse. After high school she attended Melumelth College in Omaha, Nebraska. On January 13, 1952, Verna was united in marriage to Charles A. Trainer (of Gann Valley, SD) at Wessington Springs. To this union two daughters were born. Lynette Diane and Debra Ann. On August 3, 1962, tragedy struck. Charles was delivering steel at the construction site of an overpass near Box Elder. While talking to the supervisor the bridge collapsed killing Charles and four others. Her very first job while living in California was for the magazine "Road & Track". After losing her husband, Mom found herself working at NSP's coffee bar, then to Dow Rummel as a housekeeper and cook, and then Mother Goose Nursery School. Feeling she wanted to stay close to her girls, she started childcare in her home. Mom started a "Special Club" for singles, widows, widowers, and divorced individuals. Forming the group, she found it hard getting started as many considered if a "Lonely Hearts Club" which was not the idea of the "Special Club". The object of the club was to bring others together for support, helping each other, and sharing ideas. This led her into the next phase of employment. She worked for Problems-In-Living Center, where she developed and presented material to help others learn to cope with life experiences. She extended her work career at the Minnehaha County Extension office as the 4-H Urban Program Assistant for 20 years before retiring. Her favorite youth involvement was the BB Gun course. While working with the 4-H program, she had a story written in the Argus Leader about improving and extending composting all year long by having an in-home system using worms. Another article she appeared in was "Cook of the Week. "Her biggest passion was the love of writing. While at the County Extension Office, she wrote a series of articles on Recycling and Conserving Water that was used in the Sioux Falls School District. She wrote material for Sunday School classes, and designed a quite activity book to help parents entertain their children while in church. Mom also wrote a Memory Book, sharing stories about her parents, her siblings, and her experiences growing up on the family farm. Her family enjoyed reading the stories. Mom enjoyed hunting for that perfect fixer-upper house, making improvements, renting them out which then made her a landlord. Rummage sales, auctions, and thrift stores were a fun pastime as she loved to find a good bargain. Her garden always consisted of tomatoes and blueberries. When she moved from one location to another, she would leave a trail of blueberries left behind. Mom enjoyed sharing her home with visiting missionary's, speakers, and entertainers. One weekend we had 2 girls from Norway, and two boys from Hawaii stay with us. Her favorite experience was when she and a group from her church, joined together to sponsor two young men from Cambodia. Two of her favorite sayings were "Well, it could have been worse" and "how to live on what you have - not what you want. "Having leukemia, suffering a stroke, being particularly blind, and hard of hearing it changed her life completely. Still having the desire to help others and being a unique woman, she chose to donate her body to Vermillion's USD School of Medicine. Her wish for any memorials to be directed to the Sioux Falls Humane Society in her name. A special thank you to Avera Hospice for all the thoughtfulness, generosity, caring and support they offered while caring for her. She is survived by her 2 daughters Lynette and Debra, 6 nieces and 6 nephews (and their families). She will be missed. There are no gallery images. #recaptcha-container label {display: none}Upload a PhotoLabel: *Image: *Gallery:Obituary Photos Required Confirmation: Upload Gallery ImageShow more
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