Ethel Mae Chapple
SWANTON: Ethel Mae (Rushlow) Chapple, a long-time resident of Swanton died at the age of 96, at the Franklin County Rehab in St. Albans, on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024. Ethel was born in Fairfield, VT on November 27th, 1927, the daughter of the late William and Eunice (Elwood) Rushlow.
Ethel was a hardworking, resilient woman who brought much joy to her family and friends. Her work ethic started at an early age, as did her enjoyment of adventures. She had a stamina for work, gardening, and shopping that could put most to shame. She loved road trips to visit family, and her plane rides to NC or CA to visit her granddaughters. Her favorite experience was the Branson adventure to listen to live music with her daughters, Sandy and Bibbons. Ethel was most content when she was with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren making memories and celebrating birthdays and holidays.
Ethel loved dolls, craft shows, good food, and gardening. She spent countless hours outside with her sister, Anna, in their vegetable and flower gardens. Ethel’s bounty was either eaten fresh or preserved through hundreds of hours of canning. She even canned this past summer at the age of 95. Her family is so grateful she shared these traditions and hobbies. This is one of the ways we will keep her memory alive.
Ethel was employed in various factory jobs, spending most of her years at the former Fonda Container Corp. in St. Albans. She raised her four children, Sandy, Charlene, Lewis, and Donnie. Ethel became a widow at 45, when her husband, Charles Chapple died in 1973. At this point, she became a single mother, raising Lewis and Donnie on her own, as young boys. Growing up Donnie and Lewis would go fishing and hunting, and both still maintain gardens that make her proud. Ethel was a traditional pioneer woman of sorts. She never owned a computer, cell phone, or Apple device. She either talked to you in person or on the phone. She made the best fried perch, lasagna, vegetable soup, and Jello salad. She enjoyed the outdoors, trout fishing, and she liked to be in the woods. These last couple of decades, she became an avid reader, going through boxes and boxes of books.
Ethel was a strong, stubborn woman, which contributed to her resilience in times of grief or difficult times. Living to 96 means you outlive many friends, family, and members of your community. She endured too much grief with the loss of her grandsons, siblings, friends, and sons-in-law.
Ethel lived life on her own terms and left a legacy that will have her family telling stories for decades to come.
Ethel is survived by her four children and their families, Sandra and her husband, Ray Desrochers, Charlene “Bibbons” Bourdeau, Lewis and Karen Chapple, and Donnie Chapple. Ethel was known as “Nena or Grandma” by her eleven grandchildren, Lori Letourneau, Niki Boucher, Michelle Fenton, Jacob Bourdeau, Jason Bourdeau, Ryan Chapple, Jared Chapple, and Jennifer Whittaker; sadly three grandsons passed too early. She also had nineteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She leaves one brother, Richard (Elaine) Rushlow, and a brother-in-law, Joseph Deuso. In addition to her parents, Ethel was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth (Howard) Deuso; two brothers, Buster Rushlow and Kenneth (Shirley) Rushlow; three sisters, Charlene Rushlow, Anna Leroux, and Charlotte Deuso. Ethel lost three grandsons, Harrison Chapple, Jeremy Chapple, and Adam Desrochers; and sons-in-law, David Wolkiewicz, and Remi Bourdeau.
We would like to thank everyone at Franklin County Rehabilitation Center. The doctors and nurses took such wonderful care of her. Thank you for your patience, kindness, and love these last two months.
Ethel’s family will receive family and friends on Friday, February 9th, 2024, from 10 am to 12 Noon at the Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main Street, St. Albans.
A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12:30 pm at the Immaculate Conception Parish, Holy Angels Church, 245 Lake Street, St. Albans with The Reverend Farther Christopher Micale as celebrant. Prayers of committal and interment will be later this spring in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Swanton.
Those planning an expression of sympathy in Ethel’s memory are asked to consider the Franklin County Rehab Center, 110 Fairfax Rd., St. Albans, VT 05478.
Honored to be serving the family of Ethel Chapple is Rett Heald of the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com
