Trela Kay Minium, 60, of Morland, Kansas died December 29, 2021 in
Pittsburg, Kansas. She was born December 24, 1961 in Hoxie, Kansas to
Robert and JoAnn (Ploeger) Martin. She was that middle child of five
children. She grew up and attended grade school in Hoxie. The family
later moved to Studley where she attended and graduated from Morland
High School in 1980. Here she met her high school sweetheart, Robert
Minium. They were married August 8, 1981 in Morland. Their married life
began on the farm north of Morland, where the couple raised three
children: Dustin, Scott, and Emily. Trela and Robert celebrated their
40th Anniversary this past year.
In addition to Trela’s employment of 17 years at the Graham County
Hospital and 25 years at Rural Telephone/Nextech, she was willing to
help on the farm but had to be asked. She would run a grain cart, help
move equipment from field to field, and would drop everything to go
fetch parts. It was in the spring of ‘87 that Trela learned how to drive
a tractor. There she was, with Dustin and Scott all bundled up in the
cab, helping to push 24 inches of snow that fell and blew.
Trela was very active throughout her life in many different
organizations. She served as a board member of the Hill City United
Methodist Church and volunteered as a Sunday School teacher for several
years. Civic organizations included: Rotary Club, Toys for Tots, 4-H
Leader, and was active as a Board Member for the Kansas High School
Rodeo Association.
Trela was the essence of a true “rodeo mom." She sat through hours
upon hours of rodeos, team roping and barrel races. She hauled a horse
trailer all over Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. For many years, as
her kids were involved in rodeoing, she was more than willing to get
them to where they needed to be, in many different types of weather
imaginable.
You could often find Trela enjoying her grandkids’ events from
t-ball, to rodeos, and ballgames. Just being around them was her pride
and joy. It tore her apart to have to choose to go to one if another was
in different town at the same time. In her eyes the time spent with
them was time well spent. She always took them on a summer vacation,
“NanaVacation” as we called it. There she spoiled them and let them do
just about anything they wanted.
She was preceded in death by her father Robert Martin, sister
Roberta Martin, brother Robert Martin, mother-in-law Doris Minium, and
sister-in-law Rita McDaneld.
Left to carry on her legacy of love are her spouse, Robert of the
home; her children: Dustin and wife Cassie, Scott and wife Leanne all of
Morland; and Emily and husband Anthony McDonald of Ness City; her
grandchildren, the lights of her life: Rylie, Breckyn, Rance, Kolt,
Ralyn, Barrett and Beau; mother JoAnn Martin of Hoxie; brother John
Martin and wife Donna of Larned, sister Stephanie Maddox and husband
Shane of Zurich; and nine nieces & nephews and a host of friends.
Click HERE for service details.