Joan Trainor

Joan Marie Trainor, age 82, passed from this world on Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. She was born on 14 January 1930, in Colon Panama to Walter and Evangeline (Smith) Payne as the oldest of four children. After graduating from high school, she attended beautician school in New York where she met and married her husband James E. Trainor. Together they had eight children, 4 girls (Linda Marie, Patricia Ann, Mary Elizabeth, and Katherine Evangeline) and 4 boys (James Edward, Robert Michael, Michael Francis, and Francis Joseph). Jim and Joan spent their early years living in New York and Massachusetts and moved to Shelby County, AL in 1972. Joan’s beloved husband Jim passed away in February 1979. Several years later she left Alabama to care for her elderly mother in Maryland, returning to Shelby County in 2000. She was an active member of Saint Thomas Catholic Church in Montevallo, AL. Joan’s life is best characterized by her devoted faith in and love of our Lord, love of her family, and a ready willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of others. After raising her eight children, she provided care, love, and knowledge to those children who were fortunate enough to have her as their nanny. When her own mother was in the final stages of her life, Joan became her primary care giver, effectively putting her own life on hold while she took on the full time job of providing care for her mom. Joan’s selfless act of love and devotion ensured that her mother was always with loving family from the time she became ill through the last moments of her life. Joan will always be remembered by her ever grateful loved ones for the example she exhibited during times of turmoil, adversity, and sadness as well as times of celebration, happiness, and joy through her steadfast and authentic faith that she passed on to the next generations. Joan is survived by her youngest sister Joanna Messick, seven of her children, 35 grandchildren, and 33 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father Walter Payne in 1976, granddaughter Christina Marie Wooten in 1978, husband James Trainor in 1979, brother Walter Payne in 1999, mother Evangeline Payne in 1999, daughter Patricia Ann Creel in 2003, and sister Joyce Peggins in 2007. Viewing will be held between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00PM on Monday 15 October 2012 at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South – 2701 John Hawkins Parkway, Hoover, AL. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday 16 October 2012 at 10:00AM at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church – 80 St Thomas Way,