Jonell Hines Trott

Florence Jonell "Jo" Trott, age 77, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family. Jo was born on November 12, 1940 in Benleo, Kentucky to parents John Hines and Eunice (Runner) Hines.

Our mom, Jonell Trott, was a lovely and quite determined lady. She was as weak as she was strong. Even through her death she fought a stubborn battle. She left us July 16, 2018.

She is survived by her loving daughters, Lynne Renee Potts (David Potts) and Amy Jo Cannon (Caylon Cannon); four grandsons, Colton Wiley, Jonah Wiley, Harris Cannon, and Hayden Cannon; a host of nieces and nephews; and many friends, all who will miss her greatly.

She was the baby of ten children and at the end of her life she was the last remaining sibling. When Amy and I were growing up it seemed normal to always be at the funeral home. Funerals were always a time for reunion and tons of food. Naturally there were tears, but there were also laughter and memories. We learned about our history and why Uncle So-and-So did you-know-what. (Laugh.) This time, Amy and I sit alone with our husbands and children. There is no fanfare or reunion—no tables and tables of food and no laughter. Just the stillness of our hearts and soft talk about our memories.

Jonell was a bank teller for a long time, but in her last working years she served as a teacher's aide for Autistic children. She loved this job. The children loved her. I recall walking through the mall with her and suddenly a child would come running to her and hug her yelling, "Ms. Trott, Ms. Trott." It would be one of her students. Mom lit up to see them. Mom also had a very special place in her heart for children with cleft palate. She donated regularly to various charities for these little ones.

She loved children—all children. She especially loved her four grandsons, and when they were young she would cover them in kisses and tell them to give her a little "sugar." She's been proud of all of them as they have grown up and followed their different paths. But she still loved small children, and her favorite TV show was Steve Harvey's Little Big Shots. The children made her laugh, and she would always ask me, "Did you see the show last night?"

There was another thing she loved—actual SUGAR! So, she loved our cookies. I think it was the icing first, then the cookies. Our mom was our biggest cheerleader and critic for our baking business. She didn't always understand what we were up to, but she enjoyed seeing Amy and me working together and in the kitchen. She often would come and sit with us—and laugh as we got the giggles over something silly. She ALWAYS told me to wash my hands! I would roll my eyes and say, "Really, Mom." She was still the mama. We would give her little tasks to do as she always felt the need to help.

In November Mom was placed on hospice. Then in January—strangely, just one week apart—both Amy and I lost our jobs. While we will never give credit to our previous employers, it may have been the best thing for us both because Amy and I decided to revive our old business. This allowed us to be home more often with Mom during these last months—working, designing new cookies, baking, icing, handling calls and paperwork, but still home in Amy's kitchen. Mom saw our business blossoming and was proud of our accomplishments. She was always at the ready to steal a cookie and a spoonful of icing—a BIG spoonful! Amy and I have both found other jobs in our medical professions, but we pursue our cookie business with vigor. Maybe one day it will only be the cookies our mom loved so much.

We would like to ask that, in lieu of sending flowers, that you might consider this instead.
"Cookies for Children"
If you would like to order 1-2-3 dozen cookies—however many you wish—we will deliver them in her honor and memory to the local children's hospitals in our area and to local cleft palate organizations. We believe this is the best way to honor our mom. We don't get to have our typical family goodbye and reunion, but we can help her spread a little "sugar" to the little ones she loved so much. She always loved when we did the new baby cookies.

The cookies will reflect the love in her heart and the kisses—the "sugar"—she loved to give to small children everywhere, from her grandsons to neighbors' kids, to her students.

To choose your donation, please visit www.theartfulflour.com

We hope you will share in our passion for our mom and know she will hold a special place in our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves in our business: as ladies like her, with both determination and softness in our hearts.