Ethel Mary VanHoven

Our loving, industrious, generous, mother and grandmother, Ethel Mary VanHoven, an 87 year Wenatchee Valley resident, passed from life on this earth to her Father's home on Sunday, November 24, 2013 at Central Washington Hospital at the age of 91. She was born on August 21, 1922 in Bancffosfelen, Wales, United Kingdom. She immigrated to Orondo, WA in 1926 with her family. She was raised in Orondo, graduated from Wenatchee High School in 1940, and represented Orondo as an Apple Blossom Princess. She met and was later married to Max VanHoven in Wenatchee on June 14, 1943. They made their home together in East Wenatchee. She worked at Kress, Lee School, and finally at Northern Fruit as a fruit packer, where she retired at the age of 79. She was a longtime member of Eastmont Presbyterian Church in East Wenatchee. Some of her favorite things were her wind chimes and snow globes for which her family made sure she had no shortage. Her home was her haven of joy and she kept her 3 1/2 acre property like a park, mowing it on her riding lawn mower and then hand mowing under the trees until she was 90. She always kept a pretty flower garden and a vegetable garden into her eighties. She was an avid reader of the Wenatchee World and valued a strong work ethic in herself and left that legacy to her children. She loved her family dearly for whom she lived a life of generosity. She is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Margaret "Peggy" Dennis; four brothers, Ronald Davies, Jack Davies, Dave Davies, Levi Johns; grandson, Kelly VanHoven; and great-granddaughter, Skylar Rae Toftness. Ethel leaves behind her children, Rod (Bonnie) VanHoven of Malaga, Barbara Head of Walla Walla, Bob Nancy) VanHoven of Wenatchee; one sister, Leila (Luciene) Ott of East Wenatchee; five grandchildren, Kim Toftness of Wenatchee, Emily Pugh of East Wenatchee, Kiersten Noyes of Wenatchee, Brenna Bomar of Tempe, AZ and Troy Head of Walla Walla; and also seven great-grandchildren, Brock Toftness, Brylee Toftness, Abrahm Jones, Jordan Morrow, Kyler Morrow, Kamryn Pugh and Cohen Noyes. Interment was held at the Orondo Cemetery on November 27, 2013. You are invited to view her online guest book at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com. Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Ethel Mary VanHoven

August 21, 1922 - November 24, 2013