Person:Edna Trotter (1)

    As related to Christopher Sosa by his grandmother, Edna Geraghty, she remebers not being able to cry when saying goodbye for the last time. Her mother Nora, took her into to see her father who was in the room in back of the kitchen at the farm. Edna wanted to cry but no tears came, Her mother got angry with her and she felt horrible.
    Edna remembers going with her mom and sister, Marie to stay with her grandfather Jesse Fowler Dugger to take care of him in his last years, Jesse would give Edna some brown sugar and tell her she was his favorite, Later on she found out he did that to all his grandchildren. 
    Edna's mother, Nora moved Edna and her sisiters into Kinsley, Kansas after the death of Edna's father. On the 1920 Federal Census in North Brown, Edwards County, Kansas

13th Census of the United States - 1920 Name Relationship Age Sex Race Occupation Real $ Birth Place Father Birth Place Mother Birth Place North Brown, Edwards CO., KS Roll T625_530, Page 4A Trotter Nora Head 37 F W IN KY KY Trotter Lavina Daughter 15 F W KS NY IN Trotter Leoma Daughter 14 F W KS NY IN Trotter Esther Daughter 11 F W KS NY IN Trotter Marie Daughter 6 F W KS NY IN Trotter Edna Daughter 5 F W KS NY IN

     On the 1930 Federal Census Edna is living with her mother  in Kinsley, Edwards County, Kansas. 

14th Census of the United States - 1930 Name Relationship Age Sex Race Occupation Real $ Birth Place Father Birth Place Mother Birth Place Kinsley, Edwards CO., KS

Trotter Nora Head 47 F W IN Trotter Lavina Daughter 25 F W KS Trotter Ester Daughter 21 F W KS Trotter Louise Daughter 16 F W KS Trotter Edna Daughter 15 F W KS

Louise is actually Marie. Where the census taker got Louise is anybody's guess. Marie was never known as Louise.

      Edna and her sisters each had jobs they took care of in the family. Edna took care of all the sewing.  Edna attended Kinsley Elementary School and Kinsley High School graduating in 1933. Her mother held Edna's sister back a year so that she and Edna would be in the same grade. Edna always said it was so her sister could protect her.
    Edna attended Fort Hays Teacher College in Hays, Kansas. Her first job was in Norton, Kansas where she met Merrill Geraghty. They were married May 25 , 1940 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Norton, Kansas. Edna had to convert to catholicism before the marriage.  Edna and Mike Geraghty had six children from 1941 to 1950. They moved constantly from McCook, Nebraska where Sandra was born to Fairbury, Nebraska where Jim was born. Then on to Chicago, Illinois before Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where Tommy was born and Burwell, Nebraska where Mike was born. Then Selma, Iowa where the twins were born. In 1954 the family moved to Mesa, Arizona first to downtown then to East Mesa. Edna and Mike then moved to Stanfield, Arizona and finally to Sun Lakes where they lived out their lives.

                                            EULOGY EDNA GERAGHTY

    Edna was born in Kinsley, Kansas November 4, 1914 the youngest of 5 girls. Her father died of Typhoid Fever, referred to as The Fever, when she was 3 leaving her mother with the girls to raise alone. Several uncles also died of The Fever  within a few days and she later became ill with the same didease causing her to miss a lot of school. Her mother worked very hard to support the family and the girls learned early to pitch in and help. When Edna graduated from high school in 1933 she immediately entered summer session in college. In the fall she started teaching grades 1-8 in a one-room rural school and returned to summer session in college that June. After following this routine three years she was able to attend college full time graduating a few years later. Edna took a teaching job in Norton, Kansas where she met Mike. They were married there in St. Francis Church in 1940. Soon they were blessed with a family of 6 children and Edna became a busy stay at home mom for 17 years.
    The family moved to Mesa in 1954 when Mike took a position there in the city school district. Later Edna returned to teaching after the children were all in school. All of their children attended college. Edna loved being a mother and enjoyed being a teacher. As in all families, they dealt with the concerns of raising children including some serious health problems and the loss of their son Tom in Viet Nam. Some years later Edna suffered a stroke. Her health problems continued following a serious automobile accident which left her with a crushed back. Pain was a constant companion due to this and osteoporsis.
    Edna did not allow this to get her down. She and Mike enjoyed traveling and making new friends. This was a lovely caring woman who delighted in making people happy by doing the little things that are often overlooked. She was very involved with the Ladies Guild taking responsibility for the refreshments for sometime. When she found out I didn't drink coffee she brought a selection of herbal teas for me to each monthly meeting. But nothing made Edna any happier than having the family together for Sunday dinner. She would get out the best linens and china. Paper napkins were never allowed at Sunday dinner. Her children also recalled good food, picnics, the time she caught her hair and arm in the wringer of the washing machine--you remember those old wringer washers, her love for roses and gardening, and how much she loved each one of them. Her nephew remebers her bringing him something each time she came home from college. Gramma made a jewelry box for one, played games with them, kept a toy drawer, and had a special blanket to wrap them in when they were sick. A great grandchild remebers reading to Edna when she was ill. Edna would say, "Bring me roses while I'm still here." That was her favorite flower.
    She and Mike were devoted to each other. When she was having trouble remebering things the last 2 months each evening after they finished their prayers the two of them would sing the Kansas State Fight song which is Home On the Range, My country Tis of Thee, and end with I Love You Truly. "God sent her to me," he said. "No one ever had a bad thing to say about Edna since she was one of the nicest and sweetest people you will ever meet." Yes, Mike loves you truly, Edna, and so does your family and so do we who are privileged to call you a friend.

This was written by Rita, friend of my grandmothers. She talked to my grandfather, Mike, and to all the children and grandchildren. However. there are some mistakes about my grandmother's early history. Her father Elmer Trotter did not die of Typhoid Fever, and the uncles that did died in the 1880's.