b_______ __
Tribute
WcdNEsdAy, J anuary 26, 2000
TR e CI ac I camas P rint
In memory of
SHELBI WESCOTT
Feature Editor
for Brian and his family.
Overcoming disabilites
“A doctor once told me that if
There is a quote that says,
Brian did one thing in a day, it was
“Some people come into our lives
us doing 20 or 30 things in a day. He
and quickly go. Some people stay
did so much, he worked three times
for awhile, leave footprints on our harder than we do,” Darlene Scott,
hearts and we are never, ever the
Brian’s older sister, said.
same.” Brian Trapp, a devoted son,
At the time of his death, Brian was
brother and student at Clackamas,
working early in the morning deliv
was the type of per
ering the Or
son who left his
egonian, then
footprints on your
he
would
heart.
come
to
“I feel honored to
school for
call him my friend,”
most of the
Kathie
Woods,
day and then
head volleyball
go home to
coach and one of
continue with
Brian’s instructors,
some of his
Kathie Woods
said. “He would go
other tasks.
Instructor
around and say
H
e
hello to complete
never let his
disability slow him down, he knew
strangers. The privi
leged people are the ones who said that he could accomplish anything
‘hi’back.”
he wanted to.
He went for every- I
thing full force.
He wanted to get i
the most out of life [
he could.
Brian's Childhood
Bom April 7,1953, Brian was the
third of four children to Dairell and
Verna Trapp. Due to complications
with labor, Brian suffered from a
lack of oxygen to his brain and he
was bom with mild mental retarda
tion.
From a young age, Brian’s imagi
nation would soar. He would spend
hours playing outside on his
family’s acreage; his hand was his
sword and the shadows were dan
gerous dragons breathing fire.
Vivid stories whirled around inside
Brian’s head and his creativity never
ceased to amaze his family.
Diane Robinson, Brian’s
younger sister, recounted a time
when her brother broke out into
song on their bus on the way to
school. “I was so embarrassed,”
she said, at his funeral on January
18.
Even though school proved to
be a struggle for Brian, he pushed
forward and worked hard to gradu
ate from Rex Putnam High School.
In June of 1970, Brian’s name
was called as he approached the
stage to receive his high school
diploma, an exciting achievement
“He went for everything full
force,” Woods commented. “He
wanted to get the most out of life
that he could. He knew he had chal
lenges, but that never slowed Him
down.”
Brian worked various jobs during
his lifetime. He drove a school bus for
several years and he also worked as
an umpire for little league games.
Sometimes his family would come and
watch the games that he officiated and
they were always impressed by die
way Brian handled himself against the
rude, harassing parents.
Woods recalled a time when die
saw Brian crouching behind home
plate all by himself, as she was driving
by the college’s baseball fields. She
stopped the car and watched as he
gave signs to the invisible players.
“You’re out!” He yelled, then “Strike
one.”
“Hey Brian? What are you doing?”
Woods asked.
Brian turned around with asmileon
his face and replied, “I’m practicing.”
Life at Clackamas
Sports were a huge part of Brian’s
life. He loved to watch all the different
athletic events oftelevision, but mainly
he loved to participate in anything ath-
The Trapp family gathered together during a family picnic. [L-R]
Older brother Jerry, Mom Verna, older sister Darlene, younger
sister Diane and Brian with Tasha (the family dog).
letic.
The majority of classes he took at
Clackamas were dedicated toward his
love of sports. Brian wasn’t working
toward any degree, because he already
had received an Associate degree from
Mt Hood Community College before
attending Clackamas.
He came to Clackamas because he
loved to learn and he loved to keep
active.
Over his 13 years as a student at
Clackamas, Brian took golf, swimming,
badminton, bowling, tennis, weight
training, and most recently, horse
back riding. He also took a variety of
academic courses including speech,
psychology, many health and fit
ness classes and more.
Woods was Brian’s swimming in
structor and she remembered them
joking and having a good time while
he worked hard to keep up with the
other swimmers in the class.
“One time,” Woods said, “I made
a joke and he started to laugh so hard
that he began to choke and sputter. I
said to him, ‘Brian, don’t laugh while
had a smile on his face and he was
genuinely interested in how
people were doing.
“I keep seeing him in the halls,”
Devoted friend, son and brother
Woods said, as she looks out into
At Brian’s last hospital visit, he
the busy hallway outside her of
received a clean-bill of health. So,
fice. “It hasn’t hit me that he’s
when Brian passed away on Janu
gone.”
ary 14, outside
Everyone who
Randall Hall in the
knew Brian had
arms of his be
something
loved teacher and
wonderful to
friend Kathie
say about him.
Woods, his death
His kindness,
was a shock to his
warm personal
friends and family.
ity and desire
“We were plan
Darlene Scott
to learn was
ning on going on
Sister
evident in the
a trip to the coast
way he inter
in April. He had
acted with his
never been to the
instructors, students and com
coast before ” Scott said. “He had
plete strangers.
been on many trips before: a heli
So, goodbye friend, goodbye
copter trip in Alaska, Hawaii and a
Brian. In your short time on this
dude ranch in Montana, but he
earth you have left footprints on
never got to see the coast.”
all the hearts of those lucky
Woods says that Brian’s pres
enough to know you.
encewill be greatly missed on cam
You will be missed.
pus. He was the type who always
Photos contributed by Verna Trapp
you’re still in the water.’ And he
replied, ‘Yeah,thatwouldbeagood
idea.’”
He did so much,
he worked three
times harder than
we do.