Ethel Zibell

Funeral Service for Ethel Zibell, age 105, of Wheaton, Minnesota will be held Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 2:00 P.M. at Siloah Lutheran Church in Parnell Township, Minnesota with Pastor John Ragan officiating. Pallbearers will be Ethels grandchildren: Ronald Zibell, Connie Zibell Johnson, Duane Zibell, Michelle Hormann Lemcke, Michael Hormann, Mark Hormann and Matthew Hormann. Organist will be Tammy Ragan. Interment will be in Siloah Lutheran Church Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, September 14, 2012 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer Service at the Ranney-Bainbridge Funeral Home in Wheaton. Visitation will continue on Saturday one hour prior to service time at Siloah Lutheran Church. Ethel Mildred Elvera Brown was born on November 20, 1906 to Russell and Selma (Hanson) Brown at home on their farm in Parnell Township, Traverse County. She was the oldest of eight children. Ethel was baptized on December 21, 1906 by Rev. L.J. Lundquist at home and confirmed on October 2, 1921 by Rev. L.J. Lundquist at Siloah Lutheran Church. Ethel was a member of Siloah Lutheran Church for fifty-five years and Augustana Lutheran Church in White Rock, South Dakota for fifty years. She taught Sunday school and was superintendent for many years at Siloah. Ethel also took part in the Ladies Aid at Siloah and Augustana Lutheran Church. She also lead Bible Study many times. Ethel attended country school and high school in Graceville, Minnesota where she graduated in 1926. She then attended Wheaton Teachers Training and taught in country schools for six years in Traverse County. On April 15, 1936 Ethel was joined in marriage to Herbert A. Zibell by Reverend Theodore Steinert. They were married for fifty-four years. Herb and Ethel farmed in the Parnell area and Taylor Township their entire lives. After Herbs death, Ethel moved to an apartment in Wheaton, Minnesota and lived there for fourteen years. She then moved to the Traverse Care Center where she spent the last eight and a half years. Ethel liked to read books, crochet, knit, do crossword puzzles and the spelling bees at the Traverse Care Center. Ethel wrote a family history book for her children and grandchildren. She always liked to get the family together for holidays. In her apartment days she baked lots of cookies for her great grandchildren when they would come to visit. She became known as the Cookies Grandma . Ethel passed away on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton. Ethel is survived by three children: Helen (John) Rose; Gordon (Anne) Zibell; and Margie (Milton) Hormann; seven grand children: Ronald Zibell, Connie Zibell Johnson, Duane Zibell, Michelle Hormann Lemcke, Michael Hormann, Mark Hormann and Matthew Hormann; twenty-two great grandchildren: Jessica, Geoffrey and Trent Zibell; Olivia, Nathan and Edward Johnson; Creed, Brook and Paige Zibell; Steven, Nathan, Rebecca and Rachel Hormann; Stephanie Shoup; Jeremy, Joshua, Sarah and Samantha Lemcke; Bryson, Benjamin, Brayden and Marissa Hormann; and one great great-grandchild: Caiden Shoup. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents Russell and Selma Brown; her husband Herbert A. Zibell; her infant daughter Elaine; great grandchild Evan; daughter-in-law Darlien; three sisters Florence, Myrtle and Edna; and four brothers Wallace, Ervine, Edmund and Walfred.