Obituary of Ethel McMichael

At Fordwich Village Nursing Home on Wednesday, October 4^th, 2023, Ethel McMichael of Wroxeter passed away peacefully at the age of 90 surrounded by her daughters.

Mother of her four girls: Janice & Gary Ballagh of Teeswater, Karen & Morris Schmalz of Mildmay, Judith & Steve Gaunt of London, and Rhonda & Doug McArter of Brussels.

Grandmother of Devan & Tyler Beckett, Michael Ballagh & fiancée Cassie Muldoon, Paige Ballagh & friend Kyle Waymouth, and Matthew Ballagh; Cody & Brianna Schmalz, and Jessica Schmalz; Andrew, Christine, Adam & wife Kaleigh and Caleb Gaunt; and Olivia, Nick and Sam McArter. Great-grandmother of Cameron Beckett. Dear Aunt to several nieces and nephews.

Sister-in-law of Jacquie Ries of Stoney Creek.

Predeceased by her husband Ron McMichael, parents Noah & Eleanor (Hossfeld) Ries, sister Thelma Mullens & her husband Harold, brother Williard Ries, brother-in-law Glenn McMichael & his wife Phyllis. sister-in-law Shirley Lamont & her husband Lloyd and granddaughter Amanda Gaunt in infancy.

Ethel Ries was born to Noah and Eleanor Ries on November 23, 1932 and was the youngest of three. She was raised with her sister and brother in the Fordwich area.  Ethel became a teacher, teaching grades 4 and under in a two-room school house in Green River near Toronto for three years. She then moved her talents to a one-room school house and taught all grades in Minto S.S. #6.  She went to Stratford for one summer to get her permanent teacher’s certificate and taught for another six years. While at Minto, she married Ron McMichael and moved to a dairy farm in Wroxeter. They raised their four daughters on the farm. Ethel took great pride in her baking, her volunteer work, her church, her music, her community but most of all, her family. A "sweetheart" to all who knew her. 

Visitation will be held at McBurney Funeral Home, Wingham on Wednesday, October 11^th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held in the funeral home chapel on Thursday, October 12^th at 11:00 a.m. The funeral will be live-streamed, to view the service please click here. Interment will take place at Wroxeter Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Alzheimer Society or the Wingham & District Hospital Foundation would be appreciated.