Ethel Gotche Hightower

March 11, 1930 – October 9, 2025

Ethel Hightower, a worldwide traveler and family matriarch, passed away peacefully on October 9th, 2025, at the age of 95. She was born on March 11, 1930, in Vermillion, South Dakota to Axel Karl Jensen and Dagmar Lydia Margreta Jensen (Greta). Ethel grew up as a young girl in South Dakota, going to school with her sister Tove and coming home to teach their parents English as they only knew Danish having come from the old country. Later they moved to Tillamook, Oregon, where Ethel went to high school and met the love of her life, Larry, in a bakery where they both worked.

A lifelong world traveler, Ethel never turned down an opportunity to travel with her husband Larry, friends, her children, and grandchildren. She even took 14 children and grandchildren to Denmark for a family reunion in 1999, to make sure we kept in contact with the Danish cousins, which we still do to this day. Some of her favorite traveling memories included her 3 African Safaris, Egypt, and returning to Denmark numerous times to visit family. She also loved hosting the Danes when they came to America to visit, and took them all over California to see the sights.

Ethel began her food service career by washing pots and pans in the San Juan School District, to managing and teaching students how to cook and prepare school lunch, which led to becoming a Field Supervisor. This involved managing twenty-four schools and over seventy employees. Eventually she became the Food Director for the City of Roseville School District before retiring at age 65, a career she loved very much.

Ethel is preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Hightower Jr., sons Lawrence Randolph Hightower (Randy), and Ronald Keith Hightower, and sister Tove Farrara, as well as her parents. She is lovingly remembered by her daughters Linda J. Hart and Sharon L. Armstrong, son-in law Tom Armstrong and Daughter-in-law Sara Jane Hightower. She was a proud grandmother to 10 grandchildren, and 14 Great/Great-great grandchildren.

Her sweet smile, honesty, and lovingness' towards everyone is what drew the family to congregate to her. She will be dearly missed.