Ethel N Gehlbach

BARRE TOWN - Ethel Naemi Anderson Gehlbach passed away peacefully at the Woodridge Nursing Home on November 25, 2015 at the age of 101 years plus.
Born in Barre, Vermont on January 12, 1914, she was the daughter of Rudolph and Naemi Anderson. Ethel graduated from Spaulding High School in 1932. She was a great basketball player and was a member of the Northern Vermont State Championship Girls Basketball Team. She resided in Barre and Barre Town most of her years except for a few years living in New York.
Shortly after graduation she married Louis H. Gehlbach (deceased) of Woodside, Long Island. She spent the next several years raising her family, then due to circumstances, became a single working mother. Ethel was a waitress at the Wayside Restaurant, The Country House Restaurant and the Hotel Barre, where she advanced herself to a management position until the Hotel closed. Through the years she had homeschooled herself in typing and bookkeeping. After retirement from the Hotel Barre she went on to National Life Insurance Company where she had a position in the Accounting Division. Upon retirement from National Life Insurance Company she once again showed her determination and fortitude to continue in the workforce and spent 4 years as the manager/hostess at the Hopkins Guest House of National Life.
Ethel was a supportive parent and always was interested in her children, grandchildren, great and great- great grandchildren. Mom enjoyed walking, reading and most of all swimming which she did well into her 90’s. She especially treasured the many summer months spent with family and friends at her camp, Hiawatha on Lake Woodbury. You would find Mom at least 3-4 times weekly at the Aldrich Library collecting reading material. She would much rather read a book as to watch television. She passed her love of reading to her children.
Ethel is survived by her 3 children, Louis Gehlbach and wife, Beverly, of St. Johnsbury, Jean Curtis and her husband, Robert, of South Barre, and Margaret Sample and her husband, Richard, of Williamstown. She was predeceased by her parents and a brother, Henry Anderson. Ethel leaves behind many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
After cremation, the ashes will be interred in the family plot in the Hope Cemetery in Barre. A service of remembrance will take place on Wednesday December 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Hope Cemetery. There will be no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Aldrich Public Library, 6 Washington St., Barre, VT 05641 or the Central Vermont Humane Society, PO Box 687, Montpelier, VT.
Ethel lived an independent and remarkable life for a woman in that era. Peace be with you Mom.