WILMINGTON — Ava Britton Traut, of Wilmington, died Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, at Davis Health Care.
She was born in Louisa, Kentucky, Dec. 7, 1920, the daughter of the late Warner Britton and Anna Myrtle Samples Britton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert W. Traut.
She was raised in Vienna, West Virginia, where she graduated from Parkersburg High School. She entered into the Women’s Army Corps on Aug. 1, 1944, and was honorably discharged in Dec. 13, 1945.
She met and married her husband, Robert, while in the Army. They raised their family in Rockville, New York, and while living there she started her own business, Sash Service Co., eventually retiring and moving to Wilmington.
Mrs. Traut was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, a former member and past president of the Cape Fear Garden Club, a volunteer at the New Hanover County Arboretum and a Master Gardner.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Traut, and wife, Carol, of Greenwood, Ind.; daughter, Susan Traut Shepard, and husband, Andrew, of Wilmington, N.C.; grandchildren, Amy C. Traut, Brian T. Traut and William A. Morris; great-grandchildren, Isabella Traut and Brody Traut; and a brother-in-law, Beryl Cooper of Wilmington, N.C. Special thanks to her caregivers and friends Geneta Williams, Elaine Chisholm, Myra Free, and Tonya Boulware.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at Grace United Methodist Church. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace UMC, Bible Study Fund, 401 Grace St., Wilmington, NC 28401.