Ethel Wolfe Born

Ethel Wolfe Born, 90, passed away on March 26, 2014. Mrs. Born and her husband came to live in Salem in 1985, where they joined Locust Grove United Methodist Church, and later First United Methodist Church in Salem. Prior to that time, the Borns were active members of Wesley United Methodist Church in Vienna, Virginia, for over 40 years. Ethel Born is well known because of her leadership roles in The United Methodist Church and particularly through United Methodist Women. In her work with the Women's Division and as vice president of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, she visited mission work in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean, and spoke about these experiences at many conference and local groups in the United States. Locally, she was an active member of First United Methodist Church as well as serving several terms on the Board of Trustees of Ferrum College. In addition to her life-long dedication to international service to her church, Ethel was actively involved in the local community. She was a member of the Roanoke Valley Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Roanoke Valley Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP), and the HandWeavers Guild of the New River Valley. A member of the National League of American Pen Women, she was the author of several books about her international service to the church and the history of United Methodist Women; her final book told the stories of rural letter carriers in Virginia. Mrs. Born was one of three children born to Otto and Nancy Wolfe of Kasson, West Virginia. She was the beloved wife of Harry Edward Born (deceased) and the mother of Rosemary Ellen Bauer (deceased) and Barbara Anne Craig. She is survived by her brother, Howard Dale Wolfe, of Vienna, Virginia, and her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Jerry Craig, of Salem, Virginia. A celebration of her life will be held at First United Methodist Church in Salem, Virginia, on Monday, April 7, 2014 at 11:00am followed by a reception in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to Good Samaritan Hospice, Roanoke, VA, or the Blue Ridge Institute at Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA. An online guest book is available for family and friends by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.