Henrietta Kultchar Trapp

Henri was born on Jan. 2, 1924 in Galesburg, Illinois, the daughter of Eugene Frank Kultchar and Marjorie Mason Kultchar.

Henri’s mother passed away when she was 10, and she went to live with her Aunt Jula in Evanston, Illinois. Her aunt was very good to her, though she was closer to the maid, Hazel, and the cook, Lill. Henri also spent time during the Depression in Goshen, Connecticut, on “Four Winds” farm, owned by her Aunt Teddy and Uncle Chris. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and rode her favorite cow, Brownie.

After graduating high school, Henri spent a year in California picking grapes for the war effort. She then moved to Fayetteville, New York, where she lived with her eldest sister, Mary. She worked during the day and attended Syracuse University at night. Later, while living at the YWCA and working at the Post Standard, she met George Trapp, whom she married in 1950. They bought a farm north of Syracuse and lived there for many years. They had two children, Susan and Jeffrey. Jeff died in a work accident in 1985, which was just a few months before the birth of his first child, Jason.

As Henri’s children grew up, she became a driving instructor at Sullivan’s Driving School in Syracuse. Then in 2002, following the death of her husband, Henri moved to Lake Placid, where she started a brand-new chapter in her life.

Among her many activities, she volunteered at the hospital, delivered Meals on Wheels, walked dogs at the Humane Society, and attended the Unitarian Church in Saranac Lake. She supported Native American causes. She was an avid bridge player and knitter, knitting countless lap blankets for charity. And Henri loved animals. She liked to feed apples to the deer. Her favorite saying was, “I don’t know how to use a computer, but I can milk a cow.”

Henri really enjoyed her loving community at Will Rogers and made many friends over the years. Henrietta is survived by her daughter Susan Trapp of North Stonington, Connecticut; nieces and nephews, Patty Frick of Green Valley, Arizona, Bill (Sally) Stout of Bloomington, Minnesota, Dick (Ann) Stout of Boy River, Minnesota, and Geri Stout of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; three grandchildren, Jason (Nikki) Misner of Holley, New York , Mason Charter of Brooklyn, New York, and Mackenzie Charter of Guelph, Ontario; and two great grandchildren, Shaelyn Misner and Aiden Misner. She is predeceased by her sisters Mary Stout and Dr. Elizabeth (Betty) Kultchar.

At the request of the family, funeral arrangements will be private. In lieu of flowers, Henri requested that milkweed be planted to attract monarch butterflies. Also, donations can be made to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society, P.O. Box 1111, Saranac Lake, New York 12983 in Henrietta’s memory.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. Family and friends can share their condolences and memories at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.