Marriet Lou Etheridge

August 11, 1949 - August 16, 2025

Marriet Lou Brach was born on August 11, 1949, to George Lewis and Lois Brach in Mount Vernon, Illinois and immediately assumed the role of Chief Tormentor to her older sister, Sharon. She grew up in Geff, a tiny Illinois town, where she was a cheerleader and gymnast, worked at a local diner, and mastered the art of the outhouse - not experiencing indoor plumbing until she was in high school.

Early on, Marriet’s biggest goals in life were to marry an amazing man and have a family - a good thing because she met the love of her life, William “Butch” Etheridge, at 14! Never mind they were dating each other’s friends, they quickly realized they only had eyes for each other. After three years of requisite, wholesome courting - movies, local diners, prom, and more than one Saturday evening in the driveway working on cars - as Marriet told it, they became engaged when Butch suggested she look in the glove box, where she found her engagement ring. One year later, they married, starting their life together in McKenzie, TN. Butch attended Bethel College and Marriet adored taking care of him and his many fraternity brothers.

In 1969, they started their next adventure when Butch enlisted in the US Navy and Marriet joined him in Norfolk, VA. There, in their tiny little apartment built as temporary WWII housing, they started their lifelong tradition of filling their homes with love and happiness. And in 1971, their world changed forever when their daughter Jana Lynne was born. From this point on, they became the three musketeers.

After Butch was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1974, they settled in Midwest City, Oklahoma, near Marriet’s sister and her family. Butch began work at the VA Hospital, Jana began kindergarten, and Marriet became a little restless. Getting a job through a temp agency was the start of a spectacular career. As a natural leader, Marriet excelled and was quickly noticed; moving from part-time to full-time, from office worker to department manager and, ultimately, became the first female Vice President at both Mark Twain Insurance and American Fidelity. Marriet LOVED her work and was passionate about customers and her cherished colleagues, many whom she mentored. She was proud to have left both companies better than when she started.

The happy couple had an ambitious goal of retiring at 55 and, after many years of hard work and sacrifice, they did just that. They spent nearly the next two decades traveling internationally and gallivanting across the United States in their motorhome never looking back in the proverbial rear-view mirror. Marriet and Butch relished retirement. Besides travel, they spent many weekends in Texas visiting their beloved Jana, her husband David Carles, and two grandsons Harrison and Madison. An adoring son-in-law, David, whiled away many hours playing pinball with Marriet in the parlor he built especially for her.

Marriet leaves a life well lived, devoured on every level. Her passion shone through from rejoicing in hummingbirds outside her kitchen window to quiet walks on the beach with Butch to celebrating every Christmas with the gusto of Santa, Mrs. Claus and all the elves rolled into one. She leaves us all better for having had her in our lives.

Family was everything to Marriet and she was the hub of hers. In addition to her beloved Butch, Jana, David, Harrison (Abby), and Madison, Marriet dearly loved her sister Sharon; nieces Debra (Bill), Kerry (Richard), Lauren (Sam); sister-in-law Jo (Kevin); great-nieces and nephews Delaney (Dalton), Claire, and Dylan; and countless family friends who called her Aunt Marriet.

A small celebration of life will be held with family and close friends.