Marguerite Ann Trussell

Marguerite Ann Trussell, nicknamed Peggy, was born on May 24, 1934 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Her mother Ruth and stepfather John Hurley lived in several small towns throughout the Ozarks but moved to Independence in 1949 when Peggy was 15 years old. She had one brother Benjamin, and two sisters, Joyce and Burgoyne.

Peggy attended William Chrisman High School and graduated in 1952. While attending high school, money was tight for her family, so she got a job at Fairmount Drive Inn to earn extra money for clothes. During her employment there, she met future husband Silas Trussell. They were married on June 5, 1954 and enjoyed 53 years of marriage.

While living in a little house off of 10th Street in Independence, their first daughter, Rebeca Ann, was born in April 1955. Becky is now married to Steve Scott and they live in Kansas City.

In 1958, they moved to the first and only home they owned on Ellison Way. In that same year, they had their second daughter, Ellen Kay, in October, 1958. Ellen is now married to Rick Wilson and lives in Independence.

Third daughter, Janet Lynn, was born in August of 1962. Jan lives in Cushing, Oklahoma with her significant other, Cary Wilson.

Peggy worked at several clerical jobs during her early years of marriage.

Her longest employment was with Sears Roebuck. She started in Data Entry, but moved to packing where she picked and prepared catalog orders for shipment. She retired in 1999 from Sears after 22 1/2 years. She then worked part time at Hobby Lobby for 3 years.

Peggy enjoyed all kinds of crafting. She crocheted, sewed, made decoupage cans and wooden items with her husband Si. She discovered the Senior Citizen Craft Shop in Independence where she volunteered for 15 years until it was closed.

Peggy and Si enjoyed camping and traveling with their children in the Ozarks and spent many weekends at Brumley enjoying boating and swimming, as well as weekends at her sister Joyce and brother-in-law Floyd’s lake house in Sunrise Beach on the Lake of the Ozarks. In 1978, the lot next to her sister became available, and they jumped at the opportunity to purchase it and build on.

During the retirement and lake years, their grandchildren were born. Holly Catherine Wilson was born in November, 1979 and RJ Wilson was born in March, 1984. They have wonderful memories of spending time and growing up with “Grandma Piggy.”

Peggy was a fighter. She was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2003. She had treatment and remained cancer free for 7 years until the cancer metastasized to her lymph nodes. She endured conventional chemotherapy treatment, and when those were exhausted, she participated in a clinical trial for a year which kept her cancer free until her death.

Diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome in March of this year, she continued to fight. There are treatments but no cure for this disease. Unfortunately, the treatment did not work and the disease ultimately took her life on July 8. She died in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her loving family and pets, being cared for by a family friend and her loving children.

Peggy is preceded in death by her husband Silas Sylvester Trussell, mother Ruth Belle Hurley, father Benjamin Kunkle, stepfather John Hurley, brother Ben Kunkle, sister Burgoyne Meek and her husband Dick, and sister Joyce Hurley and her husband Floyd.

Survivors are daughters Becky Scott and husband Steve, Ellen Wilson and husband Rick, Janet Lynn Trussell and significant other Cary Wilson, grandchildren Holly Wilson and RJ Wilson, sister-in-law Bonnie Kunkle, and beau Vern Henderson, She leaves behind beloved nieces Malena Sackewitz and significant other Steve Fabac, Victoria Stumpenhaus and husband Gary., Diana Howerton and husband Steve, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Patricia and Roy Trussell, brother-in-law Bob Trussell and sister-in-law Marjorie Schomacher, along with many other nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews.