Henry E. Trumbower

Obituary Born 25 November 1917, Henry grew up in Zion Hill, Pa., just north of Quakertown. He was the eldest of nine children of Eva & Earl Trumbower, Sr. He is preceded in death by his siblings: Jeanette, George, Elaine, Earl and Janice. Surviving siblings: Anna Mae, Ellen and Nina. In Zion Hill, he attended a one-room school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1934. After high school, Henry entered Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, at the height of the Great Depression at age 16, majoring in chemistry and minoring in mathematics, graduating in 1938. For two years he commuted from Zion Hill to Muhlenberg by walking about 1 mile to a now nonexistent trolley about mile behind Zion Evangelical Lutheran church, atop Zion Hill, to Allentown. He would leave his home in Zion Hill bright and early to take the trolley to the College, and arrive back home late in the evening. One of his jobs to help pay for college was mowing and caring for the Zion Hill cemetery during his 4 college years. Henry worked for a short time as an analytical chemist in Cumberland, MD, and soon learned that this was not for him. Then he took a job for Mr. Walter Updegrave at his lumberyard in Coopersburg, PA. Next door to the Lumberyard lived the family of the owner of the Coopersburg Handle Works, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Landis. Their daughter, Elaine Landis, was to become his wife. Henry was drafted into the Army in April 1942. He was later accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program to attend Aviation Meteorological Technical School at Grand Rapids Michigan. Elaine Virginia Landis and Henry were married on 4 August 1942 in Hamburg, PA, while on a 3 day leave. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps as a meteorologist September 1943. He was assigned to Stewart Field, Newburgh, NY a part of West Point Army Base, where he served out the war. He was discharged as a Captain in 1946. Eastern Air Lines hired him as a meteorologist in 1947 at the Miami, FL, Terminal. His wife and young son, Glenn, soon followed him. Henry was promoted to Chief Meteorologist of Miami in 1969 over many more senior members. He served as President of the Eastern Air Lines Management Council of Miami from 1963-1964. Henry knew every pilot and Captain of Eastern during his years with in the weather office. He retired in 1982 after 34 years with Eastern. One of his proudest accomplishments was serving as President of the Grace Lutheran Church Council of Miami Springs, FL. During his terms as President, they built a new building to include a sanctuary seating 600 worshippers, a social hall capable of holding 400, numerous Sunday school rooms and three offices. The building was started August 1959. Henry enjoyed boating, fishing and water skiing. He owned 3 boats and fished all over southern Florida from Naples to Key West, to West Palm Beach. He also enjoyed growing orchids in his hot houses as well as wood working. After retirement he and Elaine took numerous motor home trips all over the United States. They eventually moved to Barefoot Bay, FL, south of Melbourne, FL. Henry and Elaine had 3 children: Glenn Trumbower (Judy), Lynn Hardy (Bill), and Janelle Main (Chris). They had 9 grandchildren: Kimberly Trumbower Booth (Wayne), Jennifer Trumbower Agrillo (Paul), Katherine Hardy Lesley (Kirk), Sara Hardy, Marie Hardy, Andrew Tuttle (Kim), Jason Main (Karmetria), Curtis Main, Holly Main Jones (Cam). and Heather. They had 14 great grandchildren: Olivia and Jackson Booth, Paul and Grace Agrillo, Evelyn Lesley, Lillian and Kyle Luecking, Tyler, Taylor, Caleb and Christian Tuttle, Jeremiah and Elivia Armstrong, and Julia Jones. Elaine passed away Oct 2004, after 62 years of marriage. Henry joined her 9 March 2021 after closing out his life living with his dear sister and brother-in-law, Ellen and Bob Miller in The Villages, FL. He was lovingly cared for by many family members during his time with his sister including Eva and Ken Nevers, Amy and Lou Christensen of whom we are forever indebted. Fittingly, he will be laid to rest beside his wife Elaine, in the Zion Hill cemetery he cared for many years ago. Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Henry E. TRUMBOWER