Rosmarie Trapp, the eldest daughter of Captain Georg Johannes von Trapp and Maria Augusta (Kutschera) von Trapp, the inspiration for “The Sound of Music,” died at the age of 93.
Her cause of death was not disclosed, but an obituary stated that she died on May 13 in a nursing facility in Morrisville, Vermont, surrounded by loved ones.
Her obituary says, “Her compassion, generosity, and colorful character were legendary, and she made a wonderful influence on innumerable lives.”
Trapp was born on February 8, 1929, in a town near Salzburg, Austria. She was raised in a household that was notably remembered in the Broadway production and classic 1965 film “The Sound of Music,” with seven elder half-siblings — from her father’s widow — and two younger siblings.
The musical depicts her parents’ love story and their flight from Austria as a family music ensemble when her father was pressed to cooperate with the Nazis.
The narrative of the Trapp family was changed for the theatrical storyline, and no figure is supposed to represent Trapp.
Her family immigrated to the United States in 1938, initially residing in Pennsylvania and subsequently in Vermont. In 1950, they purchased a property, which became the Trapp Family Lodge, and Trapp became a US citizen the following year, merely writing her name: Rosmarie Trapp.
She travelled and sang for many years with her family group, the Trapp Family Singers, and worked at the lodge when they began receiving tourists. The devout Christian also travelled the world as a volunteer, missionary, and instructor.
Trapp settled in Stowe, Vermont, where she was recognized as a “character” when she wasn’t traveling.
“Rosmarie was famous for walking everywhere, and residents marveled at her carrying her goods home in a wagon or on a cart, frequently for a substantial distance,” according to the article.
She allegedly sent so many letters to the weekly Stowe Reporter over the years that the publication granted her own section, “Rosmarie’s Corner,” to write “about anything occurred to come into her thoughts.”
In 2010, Johannes von Trapp, the youngest of the von Trapp children and the last living member of the famed von Trapp family, launched von Trapp Brewing on family land near her house. Rosmarie “enjoyed the occasional beer right up until the death,” according to her family.
She was buried privately on the family farm, but a memorial service will be performed on Sunday, June 5, at the Stowe Community Church.
Trapp’s influence extends beyond “The Sound of Music,” as she is remembered most for her “generosity,” according to her obituary.
