Full Complete Obituary - Trista L. Vail

Trista Vail

Trista L. Vail, 33 of Butler, Missouri passed away February 18, 2017 in an automobile accident in Linn County, Kansas. 

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM Friday, February 24, 2017 at Mullinax Funeral Home (660-679-0009) in Butler with Rev. Marla Kash officiating. Visitation will be prior to services from 1-2 PM at the funeral home. Interment will follow services in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler. 

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Trista L. Vail Love Fund in care of Community First Bank in Butler. Messages of condolence for the family may be left at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Trista was born June 15, 1983 in Kansas City, Missouri – a miracle baby, being born at only 28 weeks with a low birth weight of 2 lbs, 14 oz. She was the daughter of Curtis L. and Tammy L. (Silver) Vail.

Trista attended school in Butler and graduated from Butler High School, and then attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Trista had worked for County Mart, Wal-Mart, Bates County Memorial Hospital and later as a teacher’s aide at Butler Elementary and several other schools throughout the area. It was during this time Trista realized elementary education wasn’t necessarily her passion and caring for older people then became very important in her life. This led her to work for several nursing and medical facilities throughout the area, which she loved. She had most recently worked at a kennel for exotic dogs, an occupation she particularly enjoyed as dogs were precious to her.

At one point in her life, Trista had been told she would likely not be able to have children. For the years that followed, Trista became a mother to her nieces and cousins. She loved Johnny Mack Stephens, Jr., with all her heart, and felt they both had found their soulmate. She dearly loved her brother, father, and family; and she truly missed her mother.

Trista’s family is proud she was finally able to enjoy motherhood, if only for two months’ time. Trista had said that she now had “her happy little family.”

Trista was preceded in death by an infant sister, Candis L. Vail; her mother Tammy L. Vail; grandparents Herschel L. Vail and Nancy A. Vail; and an uncle, Chris W. Vail. 

She is survived by her fiancé Johnny Mack Stephens, Jr., and her two month-old daughter, Keylynn Mack Stephens; her father Curtis L. Vail and stepmother Vicki J. Vail; one brother, Curtis L. Vail II (Ida Jolliff); nieces Macie and Mylynn Vail; one uncle, Kenneth Vail and wife Corrie; two aunts, Ruth Vail Quirk and Vicky Vail and fiancé Anthony Lunde; special cousins Travis Ackerman, Tabatha Vunovich, Krystal Telfer, Andrew Vail, and Trevor Vail; as well as many other family and friends. Trista also leaves behind two beloved dogs, Ladybug and Buddy.