Ethel Nafus

Ethel Nafus, 93, passed away on May 1, 2014 in Eugene, Oregon. She was a Steele, North Dakota native and had lived in Oregon for the past 28 years. Graveside services will be held at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Steele, ND, at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 21, 2014, followed by a reception and celebration of life at the Senior Center in Steele. Ethel was born March 26, 1921, in Steele, ND, to Fred and Johanna Johannesen Bickel. She and her siblings were raised on a farm northwest of Steele and attended Pleasant Hill School. She told chilling stories about making the trip to the country school on foot or horseback during the winter months. Ethel also attended Steele High School. By all accounts Ethel was an adventurous and lively child who sometimes engaged in mischievous behavior. On one occasion she tied milk cans and buckets around the necks of sleeping calves and then woke them up to see how surprised they would be. This endeavor caused a stampede when the cows rushed to save their calves who were bawling loudly as they ran around with clanging buckets and cans bouncing along behind them. Later a teenaged Ethel driving her father's Model T Ford asked her passenger sister if she thought the car could make a 90 degree turn at 24 miles per hour. She was attempting this feat because they were late bringing groceries home to feed a threshing crew. That crew was soon commissioned to upright the car after it had tipped over. On February 29, 1940, Ethel married Arlo Nafus in Steele. They moved west where Arlo worked for shipyards in Vancouver, WA, and San Jose, CA, before moving to Richland, WA where he worked at the Hanford Nuclear Plant. In 1949, the family moved back to North Dakota and lived on a farm just south of Ethel's childhood home. During the 1950s' and 1960s' Ethel conducted interviews and completed surveys for the U.S. Department of Labor. She enjoyed meeting people and was skilled at getting reluctant individuals to participate in interviews and answer personal survey questions. Following Arlo's death in 1967 Ethel moved to Bismarck, ND, where she worked as a successful realtor for many years. During this time she forged many new friendships, earned several pool playing trophies, and provided a fun loving atmosphere for everyone she met. She retired in 1980 and moved back to Steele where she enjoyed gardening, entertaining friends and fishing. In 1985, Ethel moved to Eugene, Oregon, to live with her daughter Virginia. Ethel was an avid gardener, enjoyed canning food, made lots of quilts and was a great cook. She continued her pool playing skills, chalked up high bowling scores and enjoyed playing bingo. She and Virginia did lots of fishing in Oregon and also enjoyed fishing trips to Alaska. Ethel was loved by all who knew her and had a unique ability to make people laugh. She was very insightful and enjoyed keeping people off guard with her delightful sense of humor. Ethel is survived by her two children, Edward Elaine Nafus, Scottsdale, AZ, and Virginia Nafus, Eugene, OR; four grandchildren, Jeff Mary Nafus, Denver, CO, Gary Tara Nafus, Denver, CO, David Nafus, San Francisco, CA, and Tracy Thaxton, Eugene, OR; five great- grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her brother, Eugene Bickel; her sister, Marion Bickel Brusven; and one grandson, William Falconer. In lieu of flowers and memorials, donations can be made to the Ethel Nafus Endowed Scholarship at the University of Jamestown, 6082 College Lane, Jamestown, ND 58405.

Ethel Nafus

March 26, 1921 - May 1, 2014