Leola Emma Zihlman Trabert

Leola Emma Zihlman Trabert

Fairfield

Leola Emma Zihlman Trabert was born November 17, 1926 in Fairfield, Iowa to Andrew and Ada Minnie (Diers) Zihlman. Growing up on the farm in the Germanville community southeast of Brighton, Leola attended Sharp’s Corner country school and graduated in 1944 from Fairfield High School. On August 12, 1947 she married Matthias Trabert Jr. at Hope Lutheran Church, Germanville and they continued farm life together, settling east of Brighton. Working as a team they weathered life’s ups and downs, always firmly rooted in their faith. They raised their family of three daughters attending both Hope and the Trenton Missionary Church.

Leola received a Normal Training Teacher’s Certificate in high school and began her 34-year teaching career in rural schools, which included Sloughville and Dallner in Jefferson County and Shiloh in Washington County. After Shiloh closed in 1959, Leola transitioned to the Washington Community Public School system for the next 28 years— beginning with 8th grade at the Jr. High, 3rd grade at Stewart, and her remaining years as a 4th grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary. The greetings and respect she received from former students, even to recent days, filled her heart with much joy as they would recount special memories. She was especially remembered fondly by many for her reading of the classic Laura Ingalls Wilder books to the class.

During these years of teaching, a busy and hardworking life on the farm and raising a family, Leola also continued her formal education attending classes nights and summers to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1964 and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Iowa in 1970.

In May of 1987 after the sudden passing of Matthias, she retired from teaching and spent much of the next 37 years managing farm business, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and being of service to others. Leola became an active participant in the Joint Effort class in the pool at the Washington YMCA and remained so until early 2020. She was a volunteer at Crowded Closet in Iowa City and helped Hope’s ladies construct comforts for missions.

Leola was gifted with a beautiful singing voice. She began as a young girl participating in school and church programs, and as an adult she performed solos for church services as well as weddings and funerals. In retirement, she enjoyed attending Southern Gospel concerts and events.

Caring and compassionate, Leola always made the loving effort to write meaningful letters and cards for all occasions and included verses of scripture for support and encouragement. She took time and made concerted efforts to visit elderly and infirm and was empathetic to other widows who were alone. Leola blessed her family with deep and constant love and devotion.

On March 21, 2024, Leola crossed over to continue her life. She was preceded by her husband Matthias, parents Andrew and Ada Zihlman, sister and brother-in-law Edith and Gerald Anderson, an infant sister, and son-in-law Thomas Viguers. Her legacy continues with her three daughters, Barbara Ann Viguers, Julia Kay Hilfman, Jo Rene Trabert; her grandchildren Traci (John) Sapp, Tim (Courtney) Viguers, Biba (Sean) Vernon, Jill (Jason) Powell, Abraham Hilfman, Sofia (John) Adams; and six great-grandchildren, John Amadio, Addison Viguers, Ari & Max Vernon, and Paige & Lily Powell.

Leola’s final earthly act of giving and teaching is the donation of her body to the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine. If you would like to share a special memory you have of Leola or wish to send a memorial, please address it to the Trabert Family, P.O. Box 472 Kalona, IA 52247. There will be private celebrations of life to share these memories, as well as interment of both Leola and Matthias’ ashes in Walnut Township’s Union Cemetery near Germanville at future dates. Memorials will be given to Hope Lutheran and Trenton Missionary Church for purchase and distribution of Bibles in memory of Leola and Matthias.

Leola’s family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the following: The talented and gifted team at Joy of Music who enabled Leola to continue enriching her life through song, the loving caregivers from Home Instead and Hospice of Washington County who went above and beyond providing care, support and comfort throughout the days preceding her death, and to Wayne Gould for the time that followed.