Von Trapp Family: Last Surviving Singer Dies

The last surviving member of the Trapp Family Singers, whose escape from Nazi-occupied Austria was portrayed in the musical The Sound Of Music, has died aged 99.

Maria von Trapp passed away at her home in Vermont in the US, according to her half-brother Johannes von Trapp.

“She was a lovely woman who was one of the few truly good people,” said Mr von Trapp, who was born to Ms von Trapp’s father and step-mother.

“There wasn’t a mean or miserable bone in her body. I think everyone who knew her would agree with that.”

Ms von Trapp was one of the original Trapp Family Singers, whose story became a Broadway musical in 1959 and a blockbuster film starring Dame Julie Andrews in 1965.

She was the third of seven children born to Austrian Naval Captain Georg von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead von Trapp.

The seven children formed the basis for the singing family in The Sound Of Music, which won an Oscar for best picture.

Ms von Trapp was portrayed as Louisa in both the film and musical.

The von Trapp family escaped from Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938. After they arrived in New York, the family became popular with concert audiences.

The family eventually settled in Vermont, where they opened a ski lodge in Stowe.