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Ethel passed away on Monday evening, the 18th of May, in the Golden Hospital. She had family by her side. Ethel was almost 78, and she succumbed to cancer, after a lengthy battle.


She was born on the 12th of July 1937 in Golden, and lived here most of her life, which gave her deep roots and an enduring connection to the community she called home. Her grandparents, Arthur and Sara Deakin, homesteaded on and helped build, Holmes-Deakin road with the help of Mr. Holmes. Her parents were Rod and Ethel Drown, married in 1917, they moved to Glacier in 1925, where he worked on Connaught tunnel. About 1927, they moved to Golden where they raised two sons, Ray and Don, and three daughters, Mary, Audrey and Ethel.


In 1956, Ethel married Tony Wenzoski, taking several years to build a home in new Alexander Park, and to start a family. She volunteered in the Kinette Club, and remembered peeling many onions for the May Day celebrations. With the Hospital Auxiliary, she helped cater to numerous dinners like the Golden Triangle ride. She also helped at the United Church Thrift shop. Their home was sold in 1968, so they could move to the island of Malta to live while Tony worked in the Middle East. Ethel enjoyed meeting new people there and established life- long friendships. The whole family enjoyed their sojourn in the Mediterranean, until 1971, when they sailed home on the QE2 from Southampton to New York city.


Ethel loved the mountains at home, and enjoyed camping, hiking in favourite spots like the

Mummery, Silent Lake, Lake O’Hara and Gorman lake, where she wants some of her ashes scattered. She had a green thumb, always growing flowers and looking for new varieties. As a Mom, she was strict, but she was always there, and was a pretty good cook, too. There were a few times we wished she hadn’t tried that new recipe. She taught us how to work hard, how not to be late, to make things last, how to love and how to accept loss. She loved us all. A favourite pastime was going with Ray for firewood, sightseeing along the way and enjoying the outdoors. As the last Drown of her generation, we relied on Mom for dates and stories of those earlier times. Ethel loved the cell phone Tony gave her, using it to follow Robbin’s chain saw carving career, texting family and even Pastor Tom.


Ethel will be remembered with love by her husband Tony, daughters Shawna Gray[Jerry] and Cheryl Snider[Stewart], sons Rick and Robbin[Laura], nieces Donna Bergenham[Lew], Barb Dianocky, Sharon Kontos[Jim], Virginia Rivet[Laurier], nephews Joe Mather[Marie], Gord Mather[Bev], Gerry Drown[Sharon], Dale Drown[Lesley], Jim and Frank Fik, and other greats. Her grandchildren Tamara Terlesky, Charity Gray[Patrick], Jayna Tatton[Jim], Alan Gray, Tashina, Jayson, Jordan and Tony Wenzoski, Shawn Snider, Julie and Joey, Sam and Laura Arnold. Her great grandchildren, Daylon and Linden Legros, Hailey and Kalli Solberg, Astra Arnold, Payton Balmer and Khaleesi Hunt.


Ethel’s ashes were interred at the Golden cemetery with her Mother. A celebration of life was held on Saturday 23rd May, at the Rocky Mountain Alliance Church with Pastor Tom Fehr. A tea followed.


In lieu of flowers please make donations to the East Kootenay Foundation for Health (EKFH) at www.ekfh.ca. Please designate your gift toward the Golden Hospital Transport Ventilator fundraiser. Donations may also be accepted at the Golden Hospital.


Online condolences may sent through Ethel’s obituary at www.hindmanbowersfuneralhome.com


“A life well lived, leaves behind a beautiful bouquet of flowers.”



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