Mert F. Trent

Mert F Trent, beloved Mother and best friend, passed away in Chandler, Arizona on November 29, 2023. Mert was born in a small farming community in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1938. She was 1 of 11 children born to Emilia and Adolph Singbeil. As a young girl, Mert enjoyed sports, track and field, and working on the switchboard in the family telephone office.

She was keenly competitive and compassionate, and had a wonderful sense of humor and justice. She loved a good party, a game of tennis, playing cards, bunco and other games. Mert was a fantastic chef, cooking, baking and entertaining family and friends. She also enjoyed gardening, making jewelry and crafts of all kinds, having recently taken up knitting again. She always made sure her home and garden were beautiful.

She was an incredible mother who was always there for her children, April (Craig) and Brad. Mert had a large circle of friends and was well-loved by them all. Sweet Gracie came into Mert’s life while she was working as a realtor, and though small, she was a huge part of her life for many years. Gracie brought hours of pure love, joy, companionship and endless entertainment to her.

In the late 1950s, Mert was living in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan, where she met and married her first husband, and they had two children together, April and Brad. They divorced, and she later married Lee Trent in Calgary, Alberta, where the family was living at the time. Mert and Lee enjoyed traveling the world where Mert made many friends. Lee passed away in 1988 and she then moved to the Phoenix area where they had planned to live full-time after vacationing there many times. She later married Joseph Mahowald and they enjoyed boating at Lake Powell and forged many new friendships together. Mert was predeceased by her loving husband Joe in 2001.

Mert worked as a realtor for over 30 years, initially in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) and later in Phoenix, Arizona. She was incredibly hard-working, and enjoyed finding the perfect home for her clients. She won many awards and accolades during her career and was always proud of her achievements. She lived an exciting and fascinating life, meeting people and making friends from all walks of life. Mert will always be remembered as a fair, kind and intelligent woman, who would do anything for her beloved family and friends. She will be terribly missed, but always and lovingly remembered.

Mert leaves her daughter April, son-in-law Craig, son Brad, sisters Doreen and Pauline, brother Leon (Freda), and brother Ted (Joan), along with many nieces and nephews and all their families.

Celebration of Life February 24, 11 am, Sun Lakes, Chandler AZ. Please email [email protected] for details or invite. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Hospice of the Valley on Mert’s behalf

"A mother holds her children’s hands for a while, their hearts forever".