Ethel Barrow

Ethel M. Barrow, 97, died on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013. Ethel was born on the south side of Chicago on Oct. 25, 1916. Her father, Arthur Bresin, was German American and her mother, Marie, was a Belgian from Ghent. She went to public schools and was an excellent student and loved to read. One of her first jobs after high school graduation was as secretary to a research group at Armour Institute (now the Illinois Institute of Technology). While taking the streetcar to work, Ethel often sat next to Charlesa Barrow, and on their daily commute. Charlesa introduced Ethel to her brother, Floyd Barrow, whom Ethel later married. Ethel and Floyd traveled a lot in the West, especially to National Parks, before the birth of their son, Craig Barrow. Shortly after the birth of her son, Ethel returned to work and spent nearly 20 years at Lee Brothers Trucking Co. doing secretarial work. After a move to Glenwood, Ill., Ethel did secretarial work for the Village for nine years prior to retirement. For many years Ethel was president of the Glenwood Womans Club. Ethel and Floyd traveled to many countries over the more than fifty years of their marriage: Mexico, Canada, Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, what was then Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Australia. After Floyds death in 1995, Ethel began to travel with Craig and his wife Diana during the Christmas holidays and during the summer. Coastal cities in the Southeast like Savannah were favorites, and during the summer the three took trips to National Parks in the West and to theater festivals. In 2011, Ethel moved to join her son and daughter-in-law in Chattanooga. While she missed her church and her bridge and pinochle friends, Ethel made new friends and enjoyed the entertainment that Morning Pointe in Collegedale provided. In place of flowers Ethels favorite charity, apart from St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thornton, Ill., was the Salvation Army. 800 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403; 423-756-1023. Charity directed to the Alzheimer's Association, 7625 Hamilton Park Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37421, 423-265-3600, would also be welcome. The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. today, Nov. 19, at Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel, 404 S. Moore Road in East Ridge. Church service will be in Thornton, Ill., at St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church, 508 North Chicago Road, Thornton, IL 60476, 708-335-6564, and burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery, 8700 S. Kedzie Avenue, Evergreen Park, IL 60642, 708-422-9051. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanoogaeastchapel.com. Arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 S. Moore Road, Chattanooga.