Sarah Jane Trolier

Sarah Jane Trolier (nee Whitney) was born in West Springfield, PA, the daughter of Ernest C. and Louise M. Whitney, the 8th of 10 children (Loren John, Elizabeth Louise, Ernest Gould, Harley Gould, William Nathan, Mabel Ruth, Luella Annette, Charles L., and Mary Margaret). She died peacefully at home in Wayne, PA, surrounded by family. She was 90 years old.

Central to her life was her love of family, both the one she was born to and the one that she created. She shared many fond memories of growing up in a farmhouse surrounded by her siblings, and working side-by-side with her parents on the sugarbush, in the fields, and in the home. She met James. A. Trolier while a student at Penn State (B.S. Degree in Health and Physical Education); they were married October 3, 1953, a marriage that lasted 52 years until his death. Together, they raised James W. Trolier (Katherine), the late Michael Trolier, Susan Trolier-McKinstry (Herb), and Kimberly Trolier. She welcomed grandchildren gladly (Maya, Emma, Ben, Betsy, Aileen, and Nathan). She was the heart of the home and family. She hosted many Thanksgiving dinners, welcoming her growing family to her home. She was sincerely proud of her six grandchildren, and passed on to them interests in music, art, beauty, nature, handcrafts, and baking.

She loved the outdoors, especially walking, back-packing, gardening at both church and home, and watching the change of seasons. She was enormously creative: she knitted countless sweaters, crocheted, sewed clothes and all the curtains, quilted, built her own bookcases, baked bread and oatmeal cookies, created the artwork in the house, and designed and created patterns for anything. She had an innate love of history, and was both the family historian and the church historian (St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church of Valley Forge). She attended church faithfully and enjoyed playimg with the handbell choir. She loved learning new things throughout her life, and regularly donated to both the local library and to Penn State’s library, while rooting for the football team. She freely shared her many gifts with children, grandchildren, and friends.

She was loving, even-tempered and peaceful, exuded calm, relished humor, worked hard, and was resilient in the face of adversity. She adopted her parent’s philosophy of a contented life, and aspired to be what her mother described as “Good People: Those who treat others as valuable, not in the economic sense, but in what they give without needing to be asked. Perhaps that could be a handshake, a smile, a listening ear, a nonjudgmental approach to a problem, gentleness, a simple nod of the head, sensitivity; kindness, love and compassion. “Good people” don’t have to agree with you all the time, rather, when necessary they disagree with compassion and an explanation of their thinking. Nor does it mean that they have to always be giving to you. They are just there, solid, when you are in a dilemma. Without being told that you have a need, they understand, they are there for you. People treating others with respect; individuals who don’t need laws to act responsibly and with fairness.”

She is survived by her children, James W., Susan, and Kimberly, along with many beloved nieces and nephews (including Ray and Becky Whitney, Bruce and Nancy Murch, Meg Murch and Roger Burke, and Michael and Flo Trotto), grandchildren, and many friends in the West Springfield and Wayne, PA communities. She is preceded in death by her husband James A., her son Michael, her parents, and her siblings.

Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life to be held at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church of Valley Forge, 600 Walker Rd., Wayne, PA 19087 at 10 am on March 25 (viewing at 9 am).