Ethel J. Duyck, 79, a longtime resident of the Cornelius community, died Thursday evening, December 19, 2013 at her home.

 

ETHEL JEAN (VANDYKE) DUYCK was born May 15, 1934 in St. Paul, Oregon, the daughter of the late Theodore M. VanDyke and Petronella 'Nellie' (Vandehey) VanDyke. She was raised on her parents' farm in St. Paul and attended St. Paul Parochial School and is a graduate of St. Paul High School Class of 1952 where she was editor of the school newspaper and voted class president. She loved to play piano, and performed the part of "Jeannie" in a high school opera.

 

She was united in marriage to Edwin Henry Duyck on December 30, 1952 in St. Paul, Oregon. Following their marriage they moved to the Mountaindale community where Edwin milked cows for his father, and in 1957 moved to the Cornelius community where they established the Duyck Family Dairy Farm on the property where Reser's Fine Foods first operated their business. Ethel co-owned and operated the Duyck Family Dairy Farm with her husband, Edwin, until his passing on December 2, 2009.

 

Ethel sang in the adult choir in St. Paul and Visitation Choir in Verboort, and served as president of the Visitation Altar Society. She was a member of the Rosary Makers, and prayed daily for family, friends and grandchildren. Ethel was known for her cookie jar that, for decades, has graced her kitchen counter and was filled with a variety of home baked cookies to the delight of her children, grandchildren and friends who visited her home. She enjoyed many hobbies to include cake decorating, ceramics, sewing clothes for her nine children, stitchery projects, and gardening. Ethel will be remembered by many for the fresh fruit and vegetable business she established, Ethel's Garden Of Eatin'.

 

Chauffeuring people to school and appointments, Ethel racked-up a lot of miles on her car as she drove her children daily to Visitation School for more than 18 years, and then continued this practice as she made the trip to pick-up grandchildren attending the school. She loved to drive and would take her brothers and sisters to medical appointments, or the occasional trip to Spirit Mountain and the Oregon Coast. Ethel entertained her grandchildren with rides on her Go-Granny-Go golf cart, and enjoyed hearing the life adventures of her grandchildren as they experienced school, new careers, getting married and starting families of their own. She hosted holiday dinner gatherings where she would cook all the food to feed more than 60 people, and only recently did she allow potluck family gatherings.

 

A social worker at heart, she opened her home to family and friends who needed a place to stay or assistance navigating the challenges in life. She cared for her brothers Maurice, Carl, and Richard during their lives and at the time of their death.

 

Ethel was preceded in death by her husband, parents and her brothers Wilbert VanDyke, Edmund VanDyke, Gerald VanDyke, Carl VanDyke, Maurice VanDyke, and Richard 'Dick' VanDyke.

 

Survivors include her five daughters and sons-in-law, Annette and Russell Evans, of Cornelius, Oregon; Theresa and Steve Hunker, of Cornelius, Oregon; Lorretta and Steve Krautscheid, of Beaverton, Oregon; Janet and Dan Park, of Vancouver, Washington; and Karen and Chad Jackson, of Forest Grove, Oregon; her four sons and daughters-in-law, Stanley and Kathy Duyck, of Cornelius, Oregon; Philip and Denise Duyck, of Cornelius, Oregon; Michael and Debbie Duyck, of Cornelius, Oregon; Paul and Joanne Duyck, of Dundee, Oregon; and an honorary son and daughter-in-law, Keshavan and Nandini Tiruvallur , of Tigard, Oregon; her six sisters and brothers-in-law, Martha Waibel, of Hillsboro, Oregon; Eileen McMahan, of Hillsboro, Oregon; Sr. Jean Marie (Joanne) VanDyke, of Beaverton, Oregon; Joyce VanDyke, of Forest Grove, Oregon; Bernice and Daniel Bailey, of Beaverton, Oregon; and Doris and Jim Herinckx, of Forest Grove, Oregon; her three brothers and sisters-in-laws, Leslie and Louise VanDyke, of Redland, Oregon; Norman and Betty VanDyke, of Cornelius, Oregon; and Norbert VanDyke, of Beaverton, Oregon.

 

Also surviving are thirty-three grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, ninety-two nieces and nephews, and five Godchildren.

 

The family suggests remembrances to the Visitation School Endowment Fund, 4247 N.W. Visitation Road, Forest Grove, Oregon 97116, and St. Paul Parochial School Endowment Fund, PO Box 188, St. Paul, Oregon 97137.