Ethel was born in 1919 on the family farm outside Balfour, North Dakota. Ethel was the youngest child of 4 children. In May 1938, she married a young man from a neighboring family, John, on the family farm and enjoyed 42 years of a happy marriage. In September of 1938, John and Ethel, upon hearing of opportunities, traveled across country with other family members in their old cars and trucks to Yakima.
John and Ethel worked many years in the orchards and in the 50’s bought a small orchard on the outskirts of Yakima which they owned for many years. During these years, John and Ethel had a dance band and played at many weddings and public dances. Ethel supplemented their income by working at various packing houses, including Keller’s and Del Monte.
Ethel was proud of her Norwegian and German heritages. She loved attending the Minot, North Dakota Norsk Hostfest and family reunions. She especially enjoyed cooking Norwegian and German meals such as dumpf noodles, lefse and other dishes, a trait that she taught her daughters and granddaughters, who carry on this tradition. She enjoyed entertaining family and friends with tales of growing up in North Dakota. Upon retirement, she started going to the senior center and playing Skip Bo with the many friends she met there.
Ethel is preceded in death by her husband John, her brother Lawrence and sisters Alma and Betsey, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She is survived by her daughters Patricia (Gary) Spencer, and Janice (Larry) Bailes, her grandchildren Lori Spencer, Tracy (Renee) Berger, Kevin (Jo) Spencer, and Keith (Mari) Spencer, and great-grandchildren Courtney (Brandon) Deppa, Taylor Spencer and Ashlyn Spencer.
The family would to say thank you to Cottage in the Meadow and Brookdale Senior Living for the excellent care given to Ethel.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 3, 2019 from 4 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Langevin El Paraiso Funeral Home with a Vigil service beginning at 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 4, at Langevin El Paraiso Funeral Home with burial following at Calvary Cemetery.
To share a memory, visit www.lepfuneralhome.com.
