Ethel passed away on the morning of October 30, 2012, resting among her books in her library, holding the hand of her husband, Walt. To the end she declared the goodness of God.
Oh, God of infinite goodness,
Eternal source of all good,
Measure of all good,
Dispenser of all good,
Motivator of all good,
Rewarder of all good,
Come, fill this empty vessel
With the fullness of Your good.
By Ethel Herr
Ethel's Life Celebration was held on November 11, 2012
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Ze is voor mij een groot voorbeeld geweest. Oprecht eerlijk en trouw aan de Heer.
Ik wens jullie Walter en kinderen Zijn vrede toe.
Gerrie achter de Molen
TRANSLATED FROM DUTCH
Ethel You Were A Pearl In God's Hand
It has been a long time that I met Ethel. She has meant a lot to me.
She has been my great example, upright, honest and faithful to the Lord.
I wish you, Walter and children His peace!
Gerrie achter de Molen.
This was not good news and most of us, myself included, would not have been able to put together even two kind words. But my mother gave the doctor a smile. You know the one. That smile that exudes a mix of confidence and determination, and she said something positive, pointing out a good point in the situation.
I cannot recall now exactly what it was she said, nor can I think of a positive or good thought related to that moment. But she did. And her doctor said, 'Ethel, you always make lemonade out of lemons. You are the Lemonade Queen.'
And he was right. My mother is the Lemonade Queen. She always saw the good in every situation and every person, even me.
I asked, "Mommy, do you want to eat something?"
She said, "No."
I asked, "How about some ice cream?"
She opened her eyes and they twinkled as she said, "Now that sounds good."
When I went to fetch some, the nurse informed me that the hospital did not have ice cream or sherbet. But they did have popsicles. So I asked mom if she would try a popsicle.
She gave me a skeptical look and said, "Ok, maybe I'll try it."
The nurse helped me cut the popsicle into ice chip sizes and I presented a spoon full of grape popsicle to mom's lips. As soon as the popsicle chips touched her tongue, a big smile came to her face and she let out a satisfied cry. "Wow!" she said. "That's the best stuff I've ever tasted."
By the following afternoon, the hospital had run out of grape popsicles and she had to settle for orange. Reluctantly, she accepted her fate . . . until she had the first bite of orange popsicle and then she had a new favorite food.
After coming home, nested in her library, she continued to have the occasional popsicle. And she commented that popsicles were amazingly good and she could not understand why she had not discovered them earlier in her lifetime.
I will never eat a popsicle again without thinking of the big smile and satisfied expression of my mom as she rediscovered the joy of popsicles in the last week.