Charlotte Elaine 'Choc' Trust, 94

On March 24, 2016, our wonderful, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and very special friend, Charlotte Elaine “Choc” Trust, “went home to our heavenly father.”

Born on June 14, 1921 in Du Quoin, Illinois, Choc was the only child born to Nicholas and Lillian Betz.

Early in her life, the family moved to Los Angeles, where her father was a street-car conductor and firefighter. She attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California, where at age 16 she met her life-long soul mate and husband of 66 years, Don Trust.

Marrying shortly after high school, the two traveled most of the country as guests of the U.S. military, during which Don became an officer of the United States Navy. Following WWII, they settled in Los Angeles, where he began a 30-year career in the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Choc’s life would be dedicated to supporting her husband and raising their three sons. As a mother, Choc ruled the roost with a firm, but loving hand and a keen sense of humor. She had an incredible intuitiveness of human nature, which led to her being everyone’s best friend.

In 1957 Don and Choc moved to Riverside, California, where they purchased a small ranch and together in 1962 established Trust Builders Supply, a highly successful family business. There, they were perfect partners in every way. On the farm Choc taught herself the outdoors life, which included growing and canning fruits and vegetables, raising farm animals (horses, cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits) and processing all of the by-products for the table. In her spare time, she stepped up as the secretary, bookkeeper, community postmaster and personality of the retail business.

Then in 1992, to support Don’s love of golf, they worked together to build their part-time home in Bigfork, where they enjoyed retirement and their many friends nurtured over the years. Their love for each other, their family and the outdoors were truly very special.

Choc was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents and one son, Phillip, a Riverside Police Officer.

She is survived by two sons, Kenneth and Jerry. She leaves behind six grandchildren, Jason, Tammy, Brandon, Emily, Heather and Torrey. Choc had eight great-grandchildren, Zackery, Savannah, Jacob, Jordan, Joshua, Jera, Jordan and Ashlyn; and one great-great-granddaughter, Misty.