Memories
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“I do remember many times we were in beautiful places holding each other and saying how privileged we were. We had the good fortune to see some of the most beautiful sights in the west. I could give examples of places of exceptional beauty, but it would be a long list. I remember that gorgeous smile full beam and Kelly saying I just can’t stop smiling. She loved life and was so appreciative of natural beauty”.
Ashley Marin (Granddaughter)
“Grandma was always willing to help. When I moved into my house, I was making my own curtains for my kitchen and was set on a lemon print sold out everywhere except Joann Fabrics in Rochester. One text to grandma and she was on it. she probably dropped everything to run to the store to get my fabric. She sent it in the mail and even paid for it. That’s just who she was.
I also have fond memories of friendly and hilarious banter between grandma, Casey and Corey around the table at Christmas. Her laugh ♡. Grandma’s legacy will live on through memories, stories and the loving words Grandpa writes. thank you for being a good example of love. Thank you for helping me research things through the years and giving me guidance Grandma. I miss you. Love, Ashley.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“I remember the time grandpa taught me how to ride my bike. We had spent the day with me peddling and him running behind him keeping me balanced. We briefly went over the brakes and how to stop. However, we didn’t really focus on it at the start. So when I needed to stop, he would grab the handle bars. After an hour or two, we decided to head home. When we got back grandma wanted to see what I learned. So, she came up with the plan to let me peddle to her, and she would grab the handle bars to stop me like grandpa did. So, she walked up the sidewalk a few steps. I pushed off the bike and started to pedal to her. She immediately turned on her heel and started to run down the sidewalk in the direction I was pedaling! Thankfully, I slammed on my brakes and everyone was unharmed. But it led to a half hour of constant laughter.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“I remember well the time that a road in Custer State Park was blocked by buffalo, a large herd spread out on the road and on both sides. After some deliberation a few impatient bikers decided to ride through the herd. Kelly smiled and said let’s go. We followed. The Buffalo didn’t approve. Some of the big bulls let us know, bellowing and showing their displeasure. That was a very slow, white knuckle ride. Kelly was hanging on to me, too scared to take photos. What a thrill. Not many have ridden a Harley through a buffalo herd.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“Casey was just began high school and Corey was a couple years back in middle school when I rented a truck and the four of us moved a houseful of furniture from our home on 20th Ave to our current home. It was late when we finished and we were all tired, but it was a good feeling to have worked so hard together for our new home. Memories of the early years in our current home are of the bitter sweet kind. Kelly made the house ours and we planted countless trees and shrubs. Kelly had her ideas of what her home should look like. We proudly watched both Casey and Corey grow and graduate from high school and then head off to college. I remember well how hard it was seeing our boys move out. It was really hard, even harder for Kelly than for me. Kelly missed her boys and she worried about them.”
Brittany Zawadski (Granddaughter)
“When I picture Grandma she is smiling. She has the most incredible smile; her eyes smiled just as much as her lips did. I have an early memory of when she was trying to come up with a name to sell things under, online. I suggested “Hot Mama”. She thought that was so funny, but I think she went with Kellly with 3 Ls. I remember buckets of popcorn every Christmas. I remember looking through our school fundraiser catalogs together and laughing about how they described the candies, decadent, delicious, smooth, always something to make it sound fancy. She waited in line to get us Furbies. I will never ever forget Grandparent’s Day at school.What’s maybe the most precious memories I have are seeing Grandpa and Grandma finding a quiet corner to dance in for a moment every Christmas. A picture of True Love. She was kindness and light. She was pure and she was beautiful even with slightly mismatched ears.
“Love you, Grandma. Miss you”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“Some years ago Otto, a Weimaraner dog breed, was a neighbor, living directly across the street from us. Otto was a good dog, knew his boundaries and did an admirable good job of staying in his yard. I think Otto kinda liked Kelly and maybe me too, as when we happened to be outside at the same time as Otto he would give us that deep throated bark as if to say hi. Kelly liked Otto. On rare occasions temptation seemed to get the best of Otto and he would ignore the boundary of his yard and cautiously (and likely guiltily) start to cross the street to come see us. On one occasion, while out picking up small tree branches a strong wind had deposited in our yard, Kelly saw Otto begin to make his move to come over. So, Kelly being Kelly, she headed into the street to intercept Otto. Otto seemingly interpreted the stick in Kelly’s hand as a threatening move and beat it back into his yard. Things were never quite the same between Kelly and Otto after the “stick attack”.
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“A few games were a common occurrence after dinner. She was a wicked good player. She won most of the time we played. She was a fair player and a good sport. However, sometimes the night would get the better of her. You could tell when she was getting tired. She would accidentally make up her own rules. Thats when you knew it was time wrap up the game session. When “grandma got loopy” as we used to say. Five crowns was a popular choice, but Qwirkle was a top contender as well. Both of these games have a handful of silly stories. An unforgettable one was with Qwirkle. Where, every turn you add a piece or two to the preexisting pieces on the board in an attempt to get six to match colors or shape. Grandma decided to skip the matching aspect of the game. She simply grabbed all her pieces and put them in the middle expecting all her points. We were all silent and watched her play curious if she figured out a rule we didn’t know about. After a few seconds of puzzled faces, she figured it out. She simply laughed as she pulled her pieces back and apologized. It was pretty funny and a memory that we would constantly refrence during game time and laugh.
Kay Trainor (Sister in law)
“Kelly had a beautiful infectious smile. She was a friendly, kind and compassionate person. At family gatherings she would always visit with the kids and us. Kelly and Doug came to visit Bill when he was ill. I remember all the time Kelly would joke with Bill. Those visits were a blessing for Bill. I remember there was a difficult situation with a family member. Talking to Kelly was a life changing experience. She understood my concerns and was able to put these at ease. She had a way with words. I will always treasure the conversations we had over the years. Kelly was a special lady and she will be missed.”
Kim (Neighbor)
Kim came home to find she had received a funny note from Kelly alerting her that she saved her pumpkins. In response, Kim sent a text to Doug.
“Wonderful memories of such a wonderful lady! 🥰❤️ And always a great sense of humor! 🥹”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“I will never forget a day while driving through Death Valley, when Kelly had to pee. Well, it’s Death Valley and there was no other traffic, but she still found some privacy behind a partial wall of some long since abandoned structure. So, all’s well, right? Wrong! Kelly managed to sit on a cactus.
Another time in the desert, Kelly took a photo of a beautiful cactus flower. She got really, really close and set her digital camera on macro. She really wanted that shot. When we got to our motel and looked at photos taken that day, we saw an image of a very large snake curled around the cactus with the beautiful flower. Things like that just happened to Kelly.”
Bruce Laufenburger (Brother)
“Just remembering the pet alligator I received when Doug & Kelly came back from their honeymoon.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“I had been into running for years and had a dream to run a marathon. Kelly knew that. I feel I was selfish for training, as it took much time away from us. Kelly encouraged me though, saying it was an investment in my health and longevity. I remember on some extremely hot days she would meet me at a predetermined place along my route with water so I didn’t need to lug water bottles. She didn’t need to do that. Kelly was selfless and so thoughtful.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“When I was young, I did Taekwondo. After learning an entire routine, I was excited to show my grandparents. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to perform for them in the front yard. That way I would have plenty of room. So, we got cheap lawn chairs and set them on the front lawn. As soon as I finished my routine, she started to clap. And all I saw was her chair falling backwards. The cheap lawn chair arm rest kept her body from moving sideways, so her feet wiggled in the air as she laughed while on her back. Grandpa was quick to help her up and ask if she was okay. But she never lost her joyful smile as she laughed along.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“Kelly and I got into inline skating in a pretty big way. She was good on roller skates, from her time in the Lewiston roller rink before we met, and I played hockey so it was a good fit for us. I remember a year when we rollerbladed each month Jan – Dec. I remember her laugh when an incline in our path got steep and I would push her faster so she didn’t need to work so hard. She didn’t need the push but she liked it, smiling the entire time.”
Richelle Lewis (Niece)
“Kelly is a wonderful soul and will always be with you all. She will be missed by so many people, animals, trails, all the things she touched. The first time my husband met the family he went to shake Kelly’s hand. she said nope. Kelly started in with her contagious laugh and wrapped her arms around him and told him welcome. Another memory is actually a story my mom always told. Casey and Corey were at Gma & Gpas as Doug and Kelly were on vacation. When they were back home, Kelly got out the braunschweiger & Casey asked if this was the same shit Gma tried to give him.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“Our last travel years up until covid we focused on 3 or 4 trips a year to Santa Fe, sometimes diverting to other scenic places along the way. We called our place in the Land of Enchantment our cabin. Management and staff loved Kelly. That is the way it was in every place we went. The manager called her “Beautiful”. The name suited Kelly.”
Debbie Block (Sister in law)
“You couldn’t help but smile and relax when you were in her presence. Kelly had a way of making you feel good, even special, as she took an interest in what was important to you. Kelly also brought the fun! Our best memory of Kelly is from our wedding in 1979 in Winona. I’m still searching for the photo (I know I have it somewhere!). Picture Bea Trainor, Kelly, Pat W. with paper mache flowers in their hair and their skirts ever so slightly elevated to expose a modest amount of leg & beckoning smiles. a very happy memory we will treasure! ♡ you “
Denny Laufenburger (Cousin)
“Most vivid memories were Holiday gatherings @ Ray & Rose. Bowling…White Knight…Such Fun!!”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“We shared a passion for motorcycles that lasted quite a few years. When she and I would accelerate from a stop sign side by side, Harley pipes roaring, we would look at each other and smile. What a feeling. I was really proud of her riding that big bike, but I was scared for her too. Kelly was a more free spirit rider than me, with less ability to stay focussed. Gradually, we would spend more and more time with her on the back of my bike. That felt right. I could take care of her there.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“College can get rough, as any college student will tell you. And my graphic design program was no different. Grandma (even in the hardest part of her fight against the disease) wanted to do something for me. So, after a particularly grueling day, I came home to a package. And in it was a pack of silly socks, with magnets on the sides that connected to each other, so that made them look like they held hands. The next day I received another package with another pair of silly socks. And the day after, I got another package of more silly socks! Even if grandma was fighting her own battles, she still put my struggles first and focused on ways to help me. The best way she could due to our distance.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“For 3 months one summer, we lived in a motel about 50 yards from the Pacific. A series of eye surgeries held us on the Pacific Ocean side of the Rocky Mountains. Kelly made us a comfortable nest and pretty much took care of me for most of those days. Following a surgery I was instructed to sleep only on my side. Kelly would stay awake much of the night to make sure I complied with my instructions while I slept.”
LeaAnn Barau (Cousin)
“The cousins sleepovers at all the holiday celebrations at Gm Rose & Gp Ray’s. Kelly’s infectious laugh and smile will be a cherished memory.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“She loved her husband and her son. Her eyes would light up whenever they entered the room, or she saw them in the morning. She was always happy but their presence added to her joy. She would always think of ways for them to be happy. Even if that meant sending them away to have fun. Whenever we would take a break and sit around, she would always (without fail) encourage them to go play their hockey video game. She knew they didn’t get to play a lot, so it meant a lot to her that they got to play when they could. They enjoyed it, so she enjoyed it. Even if she never played. No matter how many times you asked if she wanted to.”
Mary Haugen (Cousin)
“My memories are all centered around our family time at Grandma & Grandpa Laufenburger’s home in Lewiston. Carolyn (that’s how I know her) was full of life and her laugh was so “big”. She was positive, loyal & loving. Cousin time was always fun. She will always be with us in spirit.”
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“The bikes gave way to a Miata convertible and then the open road in our minivan. Kelly and I loved our road trips. We enjoyed 46 trips, traveled over 175,000 miles over 672 days on the road. And that doesn’t count a 3 month stay on the California central coast. That’s a lot of wonderful experiences and lots of memories.
So, what do I single out to share? First I will tell you what I can’t remember. I don’t remember an unkind word from Kelly no matter how tired or road weary. I don’t remember a day when Kelly lacked excitement or stopped smiling. I tried to match her behavior, or maybe I didn’t really need to try. it just happened organically being with her. We traveled well together. I remember one exception with poor behavior on my part. Lost in Los Angeles on our honeymoon, tired and frustrated, I threw our AAA Travel Planner out the window of our car. It took a few minutes, then Kelly laughed at me and then I laughed and the tension was gone. We drove back and picked up the map and I apologized.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
At my swim meet, I would often have hours between when I swam. So, my friend gave me a pack of fruit snacks. When I opened it, one had fallen on the floor. The swimming pool floor is absolutely disgusting. However, there was no trashcan nearby. So, I tucked it in the string of my swimsuit near my shoulder. I saw grandma in the stands, and immediately ran to her. I sat by her and hugged her. When I pulled away, she grabbed the fruit snack from the suit. She told me to open my mouth, I thought it was odd, but did as she told me without thinking about it. She was under the impression that it had fallen under my suit. So, she plopped it in my mouth. When I realized it was the fruit snack that fell on the floor, my heart stopped. She could see the horror on my face as I explained the gross fruit snack she just fed me. She felt awful but laughed all the same.
Kind Words
Leigh Trainor (Daughter in law)
“What a beautiful legacy of a wonderful partnership & dedicated love to that person that is your other half. Happy memories, painful memories. These are lines of the story that make up a life.”
Kim, Andrew, Parker, Mason, Bodhi (Neighbors)
“We are always here – just right across the street & a wave through the window away”
Ryan Block (Nephew)
“Kelly was an amazing person. Kelly was always someone I looked forward to seeing at holidays. I will always remember her smile, her infectious laugh, and most of all how she made everyone feel welcome.”
Debbie Block (Sister in law)
“Dear Doug, You’ve been on my mind so much. I hope you don’t mind, but I wrote down some of my thoughts. Two individual whose names and lives truly became one…. Doug & Kelly. Your names simply flowed together, just like the loving couple you are. There was never a Doug without Kelly nor a Kelly without Doug. You are team in the truest sense. A connection of the hearts that never stopped growing. Words that come to mind when I think about your lives together. Respect, adoration, inspiration, admiration, collaboration, love. Lots of love. Relentlessly protective of your relationship and your time together Unending commitment to one another and your family. A look between each other demonstrated a private, powerful and meaningful connection.I hope memories of your many adventures will bring a smile to your face and a glimmer of happiness in your heart When you are able, I hope you can remember those treasured experiences and know you shared an undeniable and real love. ♡
Please know, Rick and I are here for you. We love you lots. “
Ailsa Luce (One of Kelly’s favorite Oncology healthcare practitioners)
“I think of Mrs. Trainor often, I feel so lucky to have known her. My deepest condolences to her wonderful family.”
Theresa Bronk
” I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Kelly Trainor!! My sympathy goes out to Doug and his family. The hardest thing about knowing Kelly is not knowing her long enough. I never saw her without her beautiful smile and that extended to her wonderful feelings for everyone she knew. She will be missed. “
Doug Trainor (Husband)
“Kelly was a good person, a good wife, mother, grandmother, and my best friend. Our many experiences and experiences provide lasting memories and feelings of love for and appreciation for my special lady. “
Sandstroms (Neighbors on 20th Avenue)
Kelly was in so many ways one of the best persons we knew and we are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers at this sad time. We will always have really good memories of her. She was always happy with a great smile and great sense of humor. It was always fun to be with her. We will always have really good memories too of the whole Trainor family back in the good old days on 20th Avenue. Thank you for those good times,
Paul Doran (Brother in law)
“Kelly will be missed by all who knew her. What a special person! Very sad. Love, Paul & Karen”
Marcia and Mike (Friends)
“Kelly’s legacy of love and kindness will forever be remembered. Along with her incredible laugh! May Kelly’s memory continue to shine on and bring you peace.”
Alex Trainor (Granddaughter)
“Grandma was a mother first and then a grandmother. I don’t know if she knew it, but she went back to being a mother to me. My mother was absent for a lot of my childhood but I never felt that I was without a mother. Grandma was there to teach me all that was needed. She never missed a swim meet or a play performance. It didn’t matter if it was a jungle book play at age 8 or B finals for swimming. She was there cheering in the side lines. So when I decided to go no contact with my mom. It didn’t hurt or feel like I lost anything. Since, I had Kelly. Every time I saw her, you could be sure there would be some laughter. Her kindness had no bounds. I have no idea if she knows just how much she impacted my life. Without her, I don’t think it’d be the happy, confident person I am now. I could never put into words how much I love her. Or how much I’ll miss her. Im not the best with words, but even if I was. I don’t think theres enough words in any language to express my gratitude and love for her.”
Remembering Kelly 