Ethel Marie Bower Boone passed away on April 6, 2025 – Ethel was born to Edward Bower and Ada Ionia Vetter Bower on December 4, 1931 in Springfield, Ohio. She graduated from Washington Court House High School in 1949 and attended The Ohio State University. After graduation in 1953, she was employed with the Ohio State University Extension Service as a Home Economics Agent in Hocking County, Ohio. She enrolled at the University of Wisconsin and obtained a Master’s of Science in Cooperative Extension Education in 1959. Ethel married Edgar John Boone of Varnado, Louisiana on July 19, 1959 and then moved to Tucson, Arizona. In 1960, Ethel and Ed moved back to Madison, where her husband held a teaching position with the University of Wisconsin. After three years, Ethel and Ed moved to Raleigh where Ed was named the Associate Director of the Extension Service at North Carolina State University and later became the Department Head of Adult and Community College Education. Ethel was involved in the NCSU Women’s Club, Brookhaven Neighborhood Garden Club, and various public school activities associated with her two sons, John and David. During this period, Ethel began accepting temporary teaching assignments within the Wake County School System which eventually led to a full-time teaching position at East Wake High School. She retired from the Wake County School System in 1998 and travelled with her husband to Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, Russia, Alaska, Puerto Rico and several points of interest in the continental United States. Ethel has been a faithful member of Benson Memorial United Methodist Church singing in their choir and serving on multiple committees since joining the church in 1965. In addition, she was instrumental in helping her two boys earn the rank of Eagle Scout (Troop 214) through her involvement with the church.
Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and siblings (Carrie, Merle, Helen, Mary, Esther, Wayne, Clyde). She is survived by her sister Jayne Bower Garber (Wilmington, OH), brother-in-law Hayward D. Boone and sister-in-law Dorothy (Dody) L. Boone (Varnado, LA), two sons and daughter-in-laws, John and Sonya, David and Susan, (Raleigh, NC). She is also survived by her three grandchildren: Matthew (New York, NY), Allison (Charlotte, NC), and Sabrina (Raleigh, NC) as well as numerous nieces/nephews, great-nieces/nephews, and great-great-nieces/nephews.
We would like to acknowledge the support of Alicia Griffiths and the Stewart Health Center at Springmoor in providing care to Ethel these past three plus years. In addition, we are also grateful for the personal care provided by Cathy McCoy, Carol Meyers, and The Key during her residency at Springmoor. The family would also like to express appreciation to Kristina Masseth and Transitions Life Care.
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that memorial contributions be made to the Ethel B. Boone and Edgar J. Boone scholarship funds at NC State University in memory of Ethel. (North Carolina State University Foundation, Inc. Campus Box 7475 Raleigh, NC 27695-7475).
A Funeral Service for Ethel will be held Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM at Benson Memorial United Methodist Church, 4706 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612.
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