MISS ETHEL

A Beautiful Voice

As a young school teacher, she was known as “Miss Ethel.” But as her daughter, it was not until being with­­­­­­­­ her in her final years that I learned from a former student how she had preferred to be addressed. When asked about it, she was very pleased to tell the story about why she chose that name, rather than using her surname. We quickly adopted the name, “Miss Ethel,” and continued to use it in the years which followed.

It helped all who entered to more gently approach a woman who maintained a simple demeanor, but a composed and elegant bearing. It rendered well-deserved respect for the dignity of an independent woman who had always so graciously put others first. It was an important connection with her to know that this is how she had, at one time, chosen to be addressed.

From childhood days, she loved poetry and reading. The oldest daughter of a Mennonite bishop, she also loved four-part hymn singing. She had a beautiful soprano voice, and her legacy lives on through the encouragement provided to all of her children in music education and performance.

During our years together at The Ranch, we sang every day at the piano. This was her theology and the final expression of her amazing spirit and being. While accompanied by the harp at her bedside, she still sang with great joy and wonderment in the final months of her life. Often with no musical accompaniment during the day, she would move her arms in the air, as though still conducting the choir. At night, her beautiful voice could be heard chanting words in a monastic style sounding like joyful mourning.

Lying in her bed the day before she died, she moved her arms in the air to conduct – one last time. It was the final rehearsal for her requiem.