Mary Jane Trout, 91

April 9, 1929 - January 17, 2021

Mary Jane (Howard) Trout, of Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, formerly of Bird-in-Hand, peacefully transitioned from this life on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at the age of 91. Mary Jane will be remembered for her kind and gentle spirit, and love of family and community – and left the world a better place than she found it. To have known Mary Jane was to be blessed.

Mary Jane was the loving wife of the late Robert “Bob” C. Trout, who passed away in 2003. As a high school senior, Mary Jane met Bob at a community festival and they were married October 14, 1950 at Bird-in-Hand United Methodist Church. They went on to have three daughters.

Born April 9, 1929, on the family farm in White Horse, Mary Jane was the beloved daughter of the late James Montgomery Howard and Alice (Wise) Howard Keen, and sister of the late James “Jim” Howard. Mary Jane spoke proudly of helping to raise Jim following the tragic death of their father. Mary Jane was naturally nurturing and empathic, characteristics benefiting everyone who knew her. After her father’s death, the family moved to Smoketown and later to the Village of Bird-in-Hand. Mary Jane lived in East Lampeter Township until her move to Masonic Village in 2012.

Mary Jane’s first job was at Miller’s Chicken and Waffle on Route 30. After high school, she went to work for Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster as an order clerk for industrial sales, and following Bob’s career in baseball’s “farm system,” they joined his parents in the family egg processing business, E. Roy Trout & Son, Inc. of Paradise, where Mary Jane worked as a bookkeeper. Mary Jane and Bob were early stand holders at the Bird-in-Hand Farmer’s Market, and later held a stand managed by Mary Jane’s mother, Alice, until her passing in 1992. To her daughters, Mary Jane passed along her love of community, tradition, hospitality, Girl Scouting, swimming, trips to the shore, gardening, and visits with her brother’s family in MA. In her later years, she worked for The Jay Group, lending her exquisite handwriting to notes that accompanied Tiffany & Company gifts that made their way around the world. She often credited her teachers at East Lampeter for educating her on the importance of writing and good penmanship.

Mary Jane was a lifetime member of the Bird-in-Hand United Methodist Church, where she faithfully served her community – sharing her talents as a pianist, dining room coordinator for the annual Christmas Bazaar, Sunday school teacher, United Methodist Women and choir member. Her children fondly remember Mary Jane watching over her family while serving from the choir loft. Mary Jane’s silent strength was unmistakable. She could often be found playing the upright piano in the Nursery and singing along to the hymns she loved. Music has been a joy in Mary Jane’s life, even up to her passing.

Mary Jane was a proud graduate of East Lampeter High School and served on the East Lampeter Alumni Association’s reunion committee, and the annual reunions brought her great happiness, as she laughed and reminisced with cherished childhood friends. Weekly dinners with friends and classmates were precious times, especially after Bob’s passing. Mary Jane was a longtime member of Order of the Eastern Star of Strasburg.

Connections to friends and family were the cornerstone of Mary Jane’s life. She was proud of her family and valued her heritage. She never missed an important family event or celebration, and was known for sending greeting cards and beautifully handwritten notes to those she loved. Mary Jane and Bob lovingly cared for Mary Jane’s mother until her passing at age 89. She eagerly looked forward to the annual Wise Family Reunion held at Brintwood Park in Christiana where she delighted in the company of her relatives. Mary Jane’s enthusiastic number calling for “Now You Have It, Now You Don’t” was only outshined by her laughter. Familial competition and merriment resounded amongst the generations.

Mary Jane will be remembered for her genuine compassion, quiet strength and resilience, and gentle demeanor, which taught us patience and acceptance. Her daughters and their families will profoundly miss her presence in their lives.

Our family would like to recognize and thank the compassionate staff at Masonic Village for their loving care, kindness, and respect that each of them provided to Mary Jane over the past several years. And to the Bird-in-Hand United Methodist community – who have truly been family to Mary Jane – we thank you for your selfless love and for the benevolent generosity you have shown to Mary Jane throughout her 90 plus years. The Bird-in-Hand community faithfully embodies the definition of Christian love.

Mary Jane is survived by her three daughters: Deborah Trout-Kolb, of Westbrook, CT; Cynthia Trout Brough, wife of Michael of Orlando, FL; and Kimberly S. Myer, wife of Randy, of Quarryville; 13 grandchildren, of which she was the proud Nani; 8 great-grandchildren; a nephew and 5 nieces. In addition to her parents, Mary Jane was preceded in death by her beloved husband, “Bob,” of which they shared 52 years of marriage, and her cherished brother, “Jim” Howard, wife of Peggy of Peterborough, NH.

A viewing will be held from 10:30-11:00 AM on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at the Bachman Snyder Funeral Home, 7 South Decatur Street, Strasburg, PA, 17579. Graveside services will be private. The family looks forward to hosting a public Memorial Celebration for Mary Jane at a time when it is safe to gather. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions are welcomed to the Bird-in-Hand United Methodist Church, PO Box 408, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505.