Nellie Sue "Tuddy" Trout

Nellie Sue "Tuddy" Trout ended her courageous fight with an extended illness and entered into the gates of Heaven at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2009. Born Dec. 12, 1936, to Grace Sumner Donham and Raymond W. Donham in Terre Haute, Ind.Nellie married Thomas Preston Trout on Aug. 29, 1953, in Brazil, Ind.She received her nursing degree from Ivy Tech State College- Terre Haute campus in 1976. She was employed by Planned Parenthood in her early nursing career. She developed a passion for home health care after a medical emergency in her family. This impassioned her to become a Visiting Nurse who did rural health care daily for several years. Nellie was chosen as Assistant Director of McMillan Adult Day Care in 1988 where she cared for geriatric patients until her retirement in 2001. During this same period, Nellie was employed by Hospice of the Wabash Valley as an on call nurse helping families care for terminally ill family members. While at McMillan Center she was instrumental in developing fundraising events like bake sales where she helped bake and sell pies and cakes for holiday meals and at other times throughout the year. She was a member of Pleasant Valley Community Church, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Kerman Grotto Cauldron, and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Nellie loved sewing, fishing, camping, antiquing, cake decorating, volunteer work with her church, and spending time with her family especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and traveling. Survivors include her sister, Joan Brown of Terre Haute; daughters, Joni Ditto of Terre Haute, Cindy Phillips and companion Harold Umphries of McIntosh, N.M., Saundra Trout and fiancé Charles Schimmel of Terre Haute, Connie Wilson and husband Donald A. of Terre Haute, and Sally Joseph and husband David of Terre Haute; daughter-in-law, Linda Laycock Trout of Terre Haute; grandchildren Jennifer Watson and husband Leroy of Terre Haute, Sgt. Preston Phillips and wife Jalanda of Fort Hood, Texas, Angela Phillips of Terre Haute, Arley Umphries of Phoenix, Autumn Rose Umphries of McIntosh, N.M., Robert Thomas Joshua Hutson, Jason Lee Hutson and wife Shannon of Terre Haute, Thomas Ray Trout Jr. and fiancée Tiffany Grayless, Austin Ray Wilson and fiancée Brandy Cagle, Teresa Lee Wilson and fiancé Ryan Carter, James Thomas "J.T." Trout and fiancée Carrissa Hedden, Emily Hamilton, Amie Hamilton and fiancé Steven Baker, Dennis Joseph and Quinten Joseph all of Terre Haute; great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Collin Watson, J.D. and Rita Phillips, Garrett, Jason Jr. and Olivia Hutson, Cameron Wilson, Triniti and Jordyn Trout and Amelia Baker.Preceding Nellie to heaven were her parents; her maternal grandparents, Pastor Isham and Nellie Sumner; paternal grandparents, Joseph and Sarah Donham, and her only son, Thomas Ray Trout.Services are at 1 p.m. on Friday at DeBaun Springhill Chapel with Pastor Mark A. Grubbs officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today. Burial will be at Roselawn Memorial Park.A dinner in celebration of her life was organized by her cousin Debbie Lawson and will follow the interment at the Sandcut Fire House Banquet Room. The family is also eternally grateful to Becky Pharris for her loving direction and support in helping care for Nellie during her last days.Because the family is grateful for their help they suggest donations be made to The Visiting Nurses Association and Hospice of the Wabash Valley in lieu of flowers for those who desire.