Inge Reinicke Ettrich passed away peacefully in her home on May 14, 2022, after some years of Alzheimer's dementia, then complicated by a broken hip. She so looked forward to rejoining her beloved Freddy on the other side of the veil.
Inge was born on September 8, 1936 in Spandau (Berlin) Germany to Bruno and Hildegard Reinicke. She was the oldest of 3 children (with Helga and Helmut) and together, they lived through the catastrophes of WWII, including the post-war Berlin Blockade, and the famous airlifts that saved their lives.
She later wrote: "I became a modern-day pioneer. I experienced and lived through all the horrors of WWII, including a 150-mile handcart push-and-pull across my homeland. As a 19-year-old, I left all the misery, hardships, my homeland, my family, and friends behind, and followed my newfound LDS faith to Salt Lake City, where I found more happiness than I ever could have imagined."
At age 16, she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany. At age 19, she bravely left her family in Berlin and set out alone for America, landing in Salt Lake City in 1955. She worked first at the S.H. Kress & Co. lunch counter, and later, as a dental assistant to Dr. Edward Hale. She met and married Frederick Ettrich on July 3, 1958. (Fred had been born in New York, but returned as a child with his mother to Dresden, where he survived WWII firebombing. He returned to NYC after the war).
Together, these two humble immigrants built a home, a family, and a life. They had two daughters, Melony and Trish, who were the center of their universe, and for whom they sacrificed greatly. They lived for many years in the Holladay area, landing eventually in their beloved Olympus Cove neighborhood. Inge loved volunteering in the schools - she was a room mother, served on the PTA, and read to the children in the classroom for over 20 years, and long after her own children and grandchildren had graduated.
She loved to read and write. She was proud of her command of the English language, which she learned as a new immigrant to this country. Her proudest moment was becoming a U.S. citizen in 1964. She served faithfully in her church - in the Primary and the Relief Society. Her favorite calling was secretary in the Relief Society. She wrote beautiful birthday cards to each and every woman in the ward.
But her real passion was always music. She loved the opera and the symphony and the ballet. She always wished she had opportunities to pursue musical training. Her children awoke every morning to glorious opera arias blasting through the house. Inge herself sang in many choirs throughout her life. She wrote: "I have always been an enthusiastic audience member at Utah Symphony concerts, Utah Opera, live theater, ballet, and all forms of beauty. Mother Nature and the visual arts always lifted my spirits."
She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and her beloved sweetheart, Fred. She is survived by her daughters, Melony Hamilton (Blake) and Trish Mackie (John), as well as her grandchildren, Heather, Tiffanie, and Lauren; Michael, Scott, and Amy; and also her great grandchildren, Logan, Sawyer, Noah, Hudson, and Jack.
The family wishes to thank the incredible Angels Crossing hospice team, especially Shannon, Eva, Cindy, and Michelle - these are extraordinary humans who taught us much about kindness and compassion. We also want to thank Sita, Rachel, Anitha, and Kesa, who helped us during the final months of this journey.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at the chapel at 4176 Adonis Drive, Salt Lake City. Visitation with the family will be 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Interment will take place on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City.
Services will be available for streaming live on the Friends of Olympus Hills Ward YouTube page:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCex8Ns84Np9w1VRn_DDNojw
