Friday, June 7, 2019
As oldest daughter of Ethel's deceased sister, Jo Ann (Nadine), I have many, many fond memories of my Aunt Ethel. My entire childhood, Ethel and all of her siblings (except Jim who lived far away) gathered every single Sunday at her parent's farmhouse for Sunday Dinner. Every Sunday. I have so many lovely and formative memories from those nearly 1000 afternoons. I remember Aunt Ethel in the big farmhouse kitchen, along with her mom, whose forearms were covered in biscuit flour, and her sisters and sisters-in-law, cooking, and then serving on the big round table, a farmhouse meal fit for kings. Then later, weather allowing, all of those same strong, loving women, and their husbands, sitting in a long line of woven-bottom farm chairs along the big front porch, watching as we 'grandchildren' played in the yard, or explored the cow pasture on our way to catch tadpoles & crawdads in the creek. In winter, they'd gather in the living room, creating a huge circle of aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents around the Warm Morning stove. These are some of the very best of my childhood memories. I have so many other wonderful memories of Aunt Ethel... sitting with her in her yard, with my Mom, talking, as we shelled beans or shucked corn, or meeting at the cannery to can hundreds of jars of tomatoes for our families, and going on walks in the woods to gather hickory nuts, walnuts, and berries. I remember when she first started working for VPI. My siblings and I came to the day camp she held in her front yard, and did crafts and collected healthy recipes, and had fun, under her watch and leadership. Even at that young age, I could feel that she was driven by her desire to make a difference in our lives. And she has. I extend sincerest condolences to you, Philip, and to you, Aunt Lola, and to all of the other family that I grew up with and that I do not even know. Aunt Ethel had lots of love, compassion, and caring to spread around, which she did freely. She was a true gem.
