Ethel Mae Smith Emert Voy, born January 29, 1927 to Mary Euphrates Wood and Clayton Celestial Smith, the second of 3 children. Predeceased in death by her parents, brothers, Harold and Robert and her husband, David Voy. She is survived by daughter, Catherine (Donald) Tarro, granddaughter, Bevin (Ryan) Olson, great-granddaughters, Madison Jones, Bailee Olson, Kayla Olson and many nephews and nieces.
Ethel graduated from West High School in 1945 but her education never stopped. She was always learning and over the years pursued a variety of studies. She completed Chicago Institute of Fashion and Design, courses in upholstery, furniture refinishing, photography, public speaking, genealogy and a variety of creative writing courses. Ethel was a Jafra Cosmetic consultant and started Mareth Studio’s Photography.
Always an independent thinker and free spirit, at age 20, Ethel joined the Motor Maids, a national organization of women motorcyclists in 1947. She became a Golden Life Member and continued riding into her late 70’s. She was also a founding member in the Tri-State Travelettes, Rockford Motorcyle Club and lifelong member of the AMA. She won over 125 trophies over her riding career. She was a well traveled woman, cycling hundreds of thousands of miles to all the continental states, Canada and Mexico.
Ethel has her own special room at Jeff Finn’s Motorcycle Museum displaying her cycling history and other legends of the era. She took great care in presenting their biographies in word and pictures. Many newspaper and magazine articles have been written about her and by her.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, November 29, 2019 at Sunset Funeral Home, 8800 N. Alpine Rd, Machesney Park, IL 61115. A visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service. Entombment in Sunset Memorial Gardens.
