Nov. 1, 1937 — Dec. 19, 2024
Eliane A. Mueller Trapp Viner, 86, died on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 — on her own terms and surrounded by loved ones — in Medford, Oregon, after three months of hospice care.
Eliane was born in a small farming village in Alsace, France, to Charles and Emma Trapp. She emigrated to the United States in 1954 where she learned English and entered nursing school. In 1963, she earned her degree from the Lucy Webb Hayes nursing school at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. She passed the citizenship exam, swore off all foreign allegiances, and became a U.S. citizen in 1967. For the rest of her life, she could cite more U.S. history, name more U.S. presidents, and put them in better order than most of us.
While in nursing school, she met John Viner of Chevy Chase, Maryland, in a church group. Their first date was a canoe trip on the Potomac River in John’s canoe, which is still joyfully paddled by their son and daughter-in-law.
In retirement, Eliane and John immersed themselves in hiking and world travel. They walked the entire length of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal — all 174 miles of it — three times and hiked internationally with the Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel).
In 2001, they moved from suburban Maryland to Durango, Colorado. There they both flourished, immersing themselves in nature, sociology, geology, history, and archeology. They volunteered for the Bureau of Land Management as stewards of ancient sites of archaeological significance, and for the National Park Service as historical interpreters at Mesa Verde.
John died in 2021 and Eliane subsequently moved to Ashland, Oregon, to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law. She quickly made friends and contributed to a vibrant community at Mountain Meadows. True to form, when she saw that several of her new friends and neighbors were also in need, she created a grief support group which continues today.
Eliane is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Tabitha Viner; five of her natural siblings (Gerard Trapp, Lydia Affolter, Michou Trapp, Sabine Trapp, and Philippe Trapp); four of her adoptive siblings (Richard “Dick” Gates, Bob Mueller, and Georgia Mueller LaCroix); and countless nephews and nieces.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, in Ashland, Oregon, and online. The program will include an opportunity to share your memories and thoughts. Lunch will be served afterward. RSVP. Residents of Mountain Meadows may do so in-person at the clubhouse. Others are kindly asked to e-mail Tabitha at [email protected]; please type “Eliane” in the subject line.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests that individuals honor Eliane’s passion to care for individuals, alleviate human suffering, and advance human rights by donating to the Carter Center &/or Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice.
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