Wendell "Wendy" Eugene Trollop

Wendell "Wendy" Eugene Trollop

August 24, 1936 - July 28, 2026

Obituary

VERONA - Wendell Eugene Trollop son of Earl and Martha (Hirsch) Trollop passed away peacefully and comfortably on July 28, 2026, at his home in Verona.


Wendell was born in Stitzer, Wis., the youngest in the family of five. He followed in the footsteps of his three older brothers serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Hornet where he learned his steam fitting trade. In his downtime on the ship, he took up boxing and became the fleet champion winning the Smoker event.


After high school, he pursued his passion for baseball and tried out for the Milwaukee Braves. During this time, he met the love of his life, Hilma Christian, and the two were married on October 21, 1967. They had two children, Scott (Becky) and Angie. The steam fitting trade that he had mastered led him to positions with Hooper and Mechanical Team. He was an instructor at Madison College teaching the welding trade, inspiring many future careers.


Wendell's passion for woodworking continued to grow after retirement restoring projects back to their natural beauty while also creating one of-a-kind treasures from scratch. He was an avid Brewers and Packers fan where you could find him in his recliner with a cold beer in hand on game days.

 

Wendell leaves behind his wife, Hilma; son, Scott (Becky) Trollop; daughter, Angela Walthers; and grandchildren, Carter and Brodie Trollop, Joren (Kate) Walthers, Hailey Walthers, Lauren (Jake) Sands, and Noah and Nicholas Walthers, Josh, Janelle (Bill) and their children Lincoln and Ryla, and Abby (Roger) and their children Reese and Paige. Days before his death he was blessed with his first great-granddaughter, Rilynn, who he was able to meet a few hours prior to his passing. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Muriel (Evelyn), Laverne (Betty) and Orville (Marilyn); and sister, Eva (Carl).


A funeral service with military honors will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Family and friends who wish to view the service via LIVESTREAM may visit Wendell’s obituary page at www.gundersonfh.com at the time of the service and click on "Watch Now" in the Webcast section. A luncheon will follow the service at the funeral home. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Sunday. To honor Wendy, please wear your favorite sports team apparel.


In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Leukemia Society or Verona Senior Center.
 

Words cannot express how deeply you will be missed. Your guidance, calm perfection driven approach to everything is what truly inspired us all. We are all better people for having you in our lives. We will meet again with a beer in hand.


Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420



Events

16
Visitation
Sun Aug 16, 2026 @ 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
16
Livestream
Sun Aug 16, 2026 @ 10:29 AM - 11:17 AM CDT
Livestream • WI
16
Funeral Service
Sun Aug 16, 2026 @ 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
16
Military Honors
Sun Aug 16, 2026 @ 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
16
Luncheon After Service
Sun Aug 16, 2026 @ 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM CDT
Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care • 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, WI 53716
No photos of Wendell have been shared yet.
AT
A Memorial Tree was planted for Wendell Eugene Trollop
Other •
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ Gunderson Funeral Home - Madison
JP
Joe Prebeg
Other •
Wendell was well known to me as a kind and polite guy working for Hooper, truly worth remembering.I couldn't ask for a more competent employee to work with as I worked for Ohio Medical Products (GE) at University Hospital in Madison, WI.We often would be at Cracker Barrel restaurant where we talked outside the dining area.We both love baseball.
CF
Caryl Flesch
Other •
Hilma and family, I'm so sorry for your loss. I enjoyed his beautiful woodwork at the Senior Center back when i volunteered in the gardens. He is back at all his favorite activities waiting for you to join him one day. May your joyous memories bring you peace.
FB
Flo Burnett
Other •
Although I only knew Wendell for a short time while working with Senior Helpers, it was an honor to care for him and be there for him before he passed. He was such a kind and gentle man and will definitely be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. -Flo Burnett
PM
Patrick McGuigan
Other •
Chris and family: I met you and Wendell at a cousins gathering a few years ago and you gave me information on researching family at the DHHS and, after a conversation with Wendell, he and one of your grandsons came to my house to pick up a table my mother bought and refinished probably more than 60 years ago. I was happy that a piece of furniture that had a lot of memories but no place to go went to Wendell for his passion for woodworking, keeping it in the family, in a way. I'm sorry to hear of Wendell's passing and to be unable to attend the service. I know what good services senior centers provide and that those provided by the Verona Senior Center would have been of much use to Wendell and you. - Patrick McGuigan

Memorial video

Share memorial