Ethel Tickle Burkholder

Ethel Tickle Burkholder, 87, of Salem, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. With great fondness, many elders will remember this family oriented lady and mother of five. In Old English her name means noble and proud. Ethel was a farmer's daughter, raised on the New River. She was of Giles County, Virginiaflesh and bone. She was a loving, Christian woman who lived for Jesus Christ and who was steeped in Gods Word. She was also a proud, serious woman, focused upon and concerned with her family. Yet, she could also be humorous with a dry, sharp, outrageous wit that could shake a person all over with laughter. Ethel was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother. She gratefully took advantage of every educational opportunity afforded her, and she was proud of her nursing career. Her patients always wanted to take her home with them. She was preceded in death by the husband of her youth and the Father of her children, Noah Miller Tickle, Sr., by her infant daughter, Nellie Ann Tickle, by the husband of her senior years, Preston Burkholder, by her parents, Henry C. Rice and Nellie Janney Rice, by a wonderful stepmother Bertha Lawson Rice, and by seven brothers and seven sisters. Surviving her are one daughter Drema, Dremas husband, Larry Renfroe, Drema's son Duane Joseph Church, his five children Tyler, Landon, Lexie, Connor, and Caroline, Drema's son Joey Church and his wife Jennie, their children Morgan and Avalyn, Drema's son Aaron and his wife Alica, and their children Abbie, Anderson, and Aiden. Also surviving her are Ethel's three sons, Noah Miller Tickle, Jr., his wife Blanche Meryleen, their son Shawn, his wife Dana, and their daughter Sylvia, Blanche and Noah's Daughter Melissa Tickle-Bond; Ethel's son Jimmie, his daughter Amy, her husband Greg Johnston and their three children Ahnna, Caleb, Aleah, Jimmies son Andy, his wife Tara, and their sons Seth and Tyler; Ethel's son Johnnie, his wife Debroah, their son John, their Daughter Stacey, her husband Scott Sheppard, their daughter Jessie, and their four sons, Seth, Exavier, Trevor, and Wallace. Ethel's sister Reba, her husband Danny Smith, her sister Sharon Leon Carbaugh, and Ethel's brother Mason Rice, her brother Paul Rice and his wife Linda, her brother Henry Rice and his wife Lynn, and her brother Mark Rice also survive her. The entire family still morns for Marcie Buckles Tickle, the recently deceased wife of John son of Johnnie, and for Dianah the recently deceased wife of Jimmie. The family will receive friends on Thursday, November 7, 2013 from 6 until 8 p.m. at John M. Oakey & Son funeral home in Salem. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 8, 2013 at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Eddie Kendall officiating. Burial will follow in Sherwood Memorial Park.