Jeroldene Bash Trammell

September 5, 1940- April 15, 2023

Jerri Lee Bash, beloved only child of Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Bash, was welcomed into their home in Atlantic, Iowa, on September 5, 1940. Her earliest memories were in St. Joseph, Missouri, a place she learned to make friends and her life long ability to see beauty everywhere. A photo on her front porch after she received her first bracelet captures that.

The happy trio were called by a new pastorate in Austin, Texas - a church with no building, as her father often recounted. But he remedied that. And Jerri Lee made new friends and became a fixture of the Austin scene known everywhere for her signature beautiful blonde ponytail. Austin was a wonderful place, and she made lifelong friends and gained her soft, soft Texas drawl, one that her daughters promised they never really heard. But there was no denying a true love of the south was woven deep within her.

She married a Kansas City surgeon at her parent's new church, Country Club Christian Church where she ultimately spent the next 60 some years. She never lost the funny twinkle in her eyes, but she was the most twinkly thing of all. While she was running all over being a busy mother, her family always knew she was coming for the cloud of L’Air du Temps and the sound her gold bangles jangling on her wrist.

She was known as “Bunny” in her later life. Even though she had traveled all over the world, was a voracious reader (only non-fiction, she would clarify), and made every space more beautiful with her talent for design, scale, soft lighting and her signature blue and white...she went so far as to coordinate the color of the cows in the pasture at their ranch...what she cared about most was her family. She shared many generations of summer trips to the YCamp in Estes Park, Colorado, and this made her very happy. She loved irreverent humor, sharing mind boggling stories with a rich, hilarious vocabulary and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She capped off nearly every single day of her adult life offering to take family and friends to dinner.

She was generous to a fault. This is what inspired Bunny to become the talented RN after graduating with honors from Trinity Lutheran Nursing School so many years before, the giving volunteer she was for the many years in the Junior League of Kansas City, The Medical Arts Symphony, teaching Sunday school at Country Club Christian Church, helping to establish the first Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City and many other organizations that benefited from her participation and thoughtfulness.

Bunny was a member of the Petroleum Club, The Crestview Country Club, International Polo Club, Palm Beach Yacht Club, and welcomed the first Russian Delegation into her home while involved with the US Chamber of Commerce. She was also honored to entertain the Chinese delegation to her ranch outside of Wichita.

Bunny leaves behind three daughters, Kirsten Taylor (John Hussar) of New York, Alissa Taylor and grandchildren Philip Preston, Adele and Louise Preston of Kenilworth, Illinois, and Natasha Taylor Miller (Craig Miller) and Isabelle and Anna Miller, of Wilmette, Illinois. The family wishes to thank all of the loving, dear friends and the community at Claridge Court who have been so supportive and helpful during this time.

Services will be at the George Hamilton Combs Chapel at Country Club Christian Church on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 11:00am. Private interment will follow at the Friends Quaker Cemetery in Genoa, Nebraska.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Y Camp of the Rockies at ymcarockies.org.