"Rusty" Elaine Marie Whitson Trenary passed in her sleep at home with her dog, Sue, next to her on Thursday, August 23rd, 2012. She was born on May 7th, 1955 in Shelby, MT and moved with her parents in 1958 to Mt Vernon, when the Texaco refinery was built. She attended and graduated from La Conner Schools and focused her post-secondary studies in early childhood education. In particular, she was passionate about working to bridge the divides faced by the local migrant community and directed several Migrant Head Start Programs for the WA State Migrant Council. She is survived by her sons, Michael Daniel and Kenneth William Marques, who were the focus and light of her life and her father and stepmother, Dale and Jan Whitson. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Larry La Rue of Anacortes, along with their children, Ashley and Matt; step-sister Jill and Steve Elwick, as well as her treasured friends Dora and Robert Daniels and also her aunts, uncle and cousins. Lastly, she is survived by her husband, Guy Wayne Trenary. She is preceded in death by her mother, Ione Whitson, both sets of her grandparents and her beloved aunt and uncle, Don and Hazel Robinson. She enjoyed music, jig-saw puzzles, flower gardening, her cherished pets, and most of all, the laughter of children. A celebration of her life will be held at the La Conner Methodist Church on Friday, August 31st at two o'clock in the afternoon, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rusty's name to Children of the Valley 1318 S 18th St Mt Vernon, WA 98273 or Seattle Children's Hospital at giveto.seattlechildrens.org.