ETHEL PLANTING (MAHON)

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ETHEL PLANTING (MAHON) May 28, 1938 - December 18, 2002 After a courageous three and one-half year battle with a debilitating disease, Ethel died on December 18, 2002 in California, with her devoted son, Paul, at her bedside. It was exactly 35 years to the day that her beloved husband, Les, died. She was a loving daughter, a devoted mother, a dedicated nurse, a supportive sister, a doting aunt, and a fiercely loyal friend. In short, she was perfect. But then again, you can say those things about many people. What was it about Ethel that made her so special? Ethel was a free spirit, a unique individual who never did anything with less than a 100% effort. Whether it was fluffing the cottontail on her bunny outfit when she was a cocktail waitress at the old Town and Country, administering to her terminally ill patients at the Deer Lodge Hospital or to the lifers at the Vacaville State Penitentiary, walking on the Great Wall of China, or dispensing birth control devices and advice as Director of Student Medical Services at St. Vincent de Paul University (a Catholic school), Ethel did things with a certain panache that set her aside from the others. She was possessed with a delightful sense of humour that allowed her to see the funny side of any situation. She would laugh easily and often, many times at her own folly and the ludicrous positions in which she found herself, like boarding the wrong plane and flying east instead of west. Throughout her illness, she never lost her delicious sense of humour, and that helped her through her final ordeal. She left a lasting impression on all those who met her as she was a truly unforgettable character. Being in a car with Ethel and a moth was an experience that you would not easily forget. It would become the material from which fireside stories would be told and retold throughout the generations. Her ability to hold a grudge for over 50 years was another source of amazement for her impressionable niece. Those of us who remain to tell Ethel stories include her son Paul; her brother Bill (Judy) her nieces, Dana, Tracy (Jeff) her grandnephew Nathan; and the scores of friends and co-workers scattered across the world. We shall miss her greatly, but our lives will be richer for having known her.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 04, 2003