Harold Ellsworth Trumbull

Harold Ellsworth Trumbull passed away peacefully on March 17, 2025 at the age of 104. Preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Carol Krumm Trumbull in 2000, his parents Howard and Almeda Trumbull, brother Eugene Trumbull, sister Eleanor Crabill, and son Gary Trumbull. He is survived by sons Kenneth (Kathy) Trumbull, Jack (Rhonda) Trumbull, daughter Janice (Paul) McDonald, granddaughter Alexandra (James) Chuck, grandson Andrew T. McDonald, and sisters Helen Appel and Marjorie Williams.

Harold was born in 1920 in Greeneville, TN, and graduated from Bellefontaine HS. In college, he was in the Army Corps of Engineers where he would have built bridges and roads, but Harold wanted to fly so he dropped out to enlist in the Army Air Corps and reported to Fort Hayes in Columbus, as a private in 1942. Harold was a P-38 fighter pilot during WWII with the Flying Tigers, in the Fourteenth Air Force, stationed in Sichuan, China. Harold learned of the end of the War while on a ship returning home, near Australia. Harold completed his Mechanical Engineering degree at OSU after the war. Harold met his future wife of 53 years at OSU through his Spanish teacher.

Harold worked for Bell Products in Chicago for 4 years and then returned to Columbus to work at Battelle Memorial Institute, a contract research company, where he worked on hundreds of projects such as the first Xerox machine on which he got 16 patents. Harold earned 26 patents total while at Battelle. Harold could design, build, and fix just about everything. He built 3 sailboats during his lifetime. He did a lot of woodwork also. After retirement, he travelled around the USA and Europe with his wife until she passed in December 2000. Harold enjoyed taking care of his grandson Andrew, born in 2004, whenever he could while he was little. Also starting in 2004, Harold had the opportunity to visit friends in France and northern Spain for 3 months a year and continued this pattern for 20 years. He has travelled to all 50 states and Canada. Harold was a longtime member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Harold kept busy and lived independently until his last day.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 29 at 3:00p at COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 2070 Ridgecliff Rd, Columbus, OH 43221. Reverend Joel Esala is officiating. Friends may call one hour before the ceremony. Burial at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Harold’s memory may be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church or to Doctors Without Borders. To share memories or condolences, please visit www.schoedinger.com.