Notes for Elizabeth Marie Trinaistich

A Wilson Family Tree

Notes for Elizabeth Marie Trinaistich



Elizabeth Marie Trinaistich was born in Trinidad, Colorado, in 1904. After graduating from high school, she worked for the Trinidad Creamery as a bookkeeper. She quit that job after getting married in 1926, but she continued to apply her bookkeeping knowledge in the family businesses through the years.

Betty loved to cook, and made lots of wonderful things to eat. Most memorable were the desserts -- pies, angel food cake, nut roll (povitica, a Croatian sweet bread). She cooked dishes from the Old Country of her parents, and New Mexican food from her adopted state. I liked her chiles rellenos better than most I have had since.

She was an excellent seamstress, and made many of her own and her daughter's clothes.

She was a gardener. She always had a small vegetable garden, and had fruit and nut trees. But most important were her flower gardens, including a fine rose garden.

She had lots of friends and was very active socially. She was a member of a bridge club for many years, and she and her husband, Len, liked to square dance and were involved in church activities.

She enjoyed traveling, and even traveled around the world twice with her nephew Ernie and others.

And finally, she always worked hard, both around the house and helping out in the family business. In addition to bookkeeper, she was listed as the president of the Walker Radio Company.

She died from aspiration pneumonia -- stomach fluid in her lungs -- at the age of 92. This was the culmination of a problem she had for several years before she died -- she had problems with swallowing, and with choking on phlegm that built up in her throat. She was confined to a wheelchair for several years before her death, and eventually couldn't even get around by wheelchair any more and was bedridden. She also developed diabetes late in life.


Newspaper obituary from the Albuquerque Journal (I don't know the date):

WILSON--Elizabeth M. Wilson, 92, a resident of Albuquerque since 1947, died Saturday, March 1, 1997. She is survived by her sons, Donald E. Wilson and wife, Audrey of Albuquerque and James L. Wilson and wife, Mary of Tyrone, GA; daughter, Dorothy Wilson of Albuquerque; step-son, John M. Malovich and wife, Carrie, children, John and Sarah of Green Valley, AZ; two grandchildren, Michael Wilson and wife, Mary of Albuquerque and Catherine Bynon and husband, Thomas of Rio Rancho; three great-grandchildren, Lorraine Faye Bynon of Rio Rancho. Claire Wilson and William Wilson both of Albuquerque; nephew, Ernest Malovich of Denver, CO; and four nieces, Edith M. Carroll of Cokedale, CO, Elsie Beazley of Denver, CO, BettyAnn Holloway of Pueblo, CO, and LeeAnn Bryning of Denver, CO. Mrs. Wilson was a member or [sic] Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Parish and the Guild of the church as well. Rosary will be recited Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m., at French Mortuary, University Chapel, 1111 University Blvd. NE with Deacon Tom Jones officiating. Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 4020 Lomas Blvd. NE, with Rev. Francis X. Eggert, Celebrant. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Donald E. Wilson, James L. Wilson, John M. Malovich, Ernest Malovich, Michael Wilson and Thomas Bynon.


Newspaper article (don't know what paper, or the date, but the wedding was 20 Oct 1926):

TRINAISTICH-WILSON NUPTIALS.

A pretty fall wedding will be solemnized this evening at five o'clock at the Catholic Church when Miss Elizabeth Trinaistich will become the bride of Mr. Leonard Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. John McKelvey will act as matron of honor and groomsman.

Miss Trinaistich will wear a smart frock of jungle green flat crepe with accessories to match, and will carry a shower bouquet of Ophelia roses.

At 6:30 a five course wedding supper will be served at the home of Mr. Wilson's mother, Mrs. E. W. Cookingham on Topeka Ave. Covers will be laid for sixty. A lovely color scheme of blue and white will be effectively carried out, and an elaborately frosted brides cake will grace the center of the table.

Miss Trinaistich is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Matt Trinaistich of Trinidad. She is a graduate of Trinidad High School and since her graduation has been employed as bookkeeper at the Trinidad Creamery.

Mr. Wilson is the son of Mrs. E. W. Cookingham of Topeka Ave. He too received his education here and graduated from T. H. S. He holds a position of bookkeeper at the Trinidad Creamery.

The happy couple will leave immediately for a ten days honeymoon trip thru the northern part of the state. They will take up their residence in Trinidad.


Newspaper article from the Albuquerque Journal on 31 Oct 1976:

Anniversary Date Noted By Wilsons

In celebration of their golden wedding anniversary, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard E. Wilson, 221 Washington NE, were honored at a mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church, followed by a reception in the Hilton Inn's Cabaret Lounge.

The couple was married at Trinidad, Colo., on Oct. 20, 1926. They have been residents of Albuquerque since 1947.

Hosts for the observance were their sons, Donald and his wife Audrey of Albuquerque, James and his wife Susie of Phoenix, Ariz., and their daughter Dorothy of Albuquerque. There are twograndchildren [sic].

Attending the reception were approximately 115 guests from California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.


The name on her death certificate is Elizabeth Marie Wilson. Cause of death was aspiration pneumonia. She died at St. Joseph Medical Center.
The name on her birth certificate is just Elizabeth Trinaistich. Does that mean that officially she had no middle name?
Headstone of her grave says Elizabeth M. WILSON, 1904 - 1997.


1930 census
Listed as Elizabeth Wilson, age 25, age 22 at marriage, born in Colorado, both parents born in Austria [actually, Croatia, which was part of the Austrian empire at the time]. Living with her husband, Leonard E. Wilson, and child.

1940 census
Listed as Elizabeth Wilson, age 35, born in Colorado. Lived in Clovis, NM, in 1935. Living with her husband, Leonard Wilson, their children, and a niece and nephew [children of her sister, Mary, who had died].

1950 census
Listed as Elizabeth M. Wilson, age 45, born in Colorado, both parents born in Yugoslavia. Worked 52 weeks last year, earned $910 from wages and $150 from other income. Living with her husband, Leonard E. Wilson, their son James L. Wilson, and their nephew John. M. Malovich.


Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above.    ...Mike Wilson

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