William Colin Trenary III died peacefully at his home at Maple Grove in Warren County on October 13, 2024. He was 91.
Bill, or “Billy,” as family called him, was born August 6, 1933 in Front Royal to the rosy-cheeked Francis Garrison Blackwell Trenary and William C. Trenary Jr.
Bill was truly the embodiment of a gentleman farmer: he was a gentle man and a gentleman. Gentle with animals, and gentle with people.
In his yearbook at Warren County High School, he said he wanted to be a “scientific farmer”. And a scientific farmer he was, using research-based methods and analytics, from reliance on Expected Progeny Differences to predict traits in beef cattle to the introduction of thistle weevils to control thistles without chemicals.
He taught his grandchildren how to gently separate cattle, and even how to collect an egg from under a chicken that’s still sitting on it.
He graduated in 1955 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (always “VPI” not “Virginia Tech”), where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He maintained that disciplined daily regimen throughout his life – he made his bed first thing every morning.
He worked as a Cooperative Extension Agent from 1957-72 in Prince William County, insisting on planting thousands of pine trees as a noise buffer for the fledgling Dulles International Airport in the Washington suburbs. He then returned to the farm in Warren County, where he raised cattle and sheep the rest of his life.
Bill was predeceased by his parents; and his wife, Melba H. Rice Trenary, for whom he went through screening to donate a kidney.
He is survived by his sister, Martha “Pattie” Irvin of Richmond; daughters, Alice Denham (husband Doug) of San Antonio, Texas and Julianne Trenary of Austin, Texas; stepson, David Rice of Raleigh, North Carolina; grandchildren, Caitlyn Denham, Briana Denham, Rebecca Ho, Garrison Ho, Benjamin Rice and Kate Rice; and a special guardian angel in his latter years, Donna Shackelford.
Bill was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Winchester and previously Nineveh Presbyterian Church in Warren County.
Family will receive friends at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 26 at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 W. Main Street, Front Royal, followed by a service at 3 p.m. and a graveside service for family at Prospect Hill Cemetery, 200 W. Prospect Street in Front Royal.
Memorial contributions can be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St. #405, Winchester, VA 22601 and to North Warren Volunteer Fire Company, 266 Rockland Court, Front Royal, VA 22630.
Bill was quite the gentleman, calm and easy, but not to be taken in by the “fads” that popped up in our agriculture industry. He was true to his beliefs on life, friendship and farming. I sure appreciated my friendship with Bill and Melba and it was an honor to be his friend. The people of the Shenandoah Valley have lost lost an icon and he will be missed. I know that Bill is now with our Lord and has reached his heavenly home.
so sorry to hear about Billy passing he was my friend from childhood and we kept in touch until now
Billy Trenary was a relative of my father, Dick Jennings. Their grandmothers were sisters. The two men looked very much alike and were born within a few months of each other. My dad lived also in Virginia, and they enjoyed visiting, especially in their later years. We always appreciated Billy’s quiet demeanor and calm personality. He cared about his family and his farm. I know he was very grateful to live his later years on his land and still be involved in the farm operation, which he loved. We last saw him at Easter and think fondly of him on this day of his service.