Ethel R. (Dalke) Bartel passed away on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at the age of 96 in Valley Center, Kansas.
She was born in Hillsboro, Kansas to Charles Dalke and Verna (Nichol) Dalke. Ethel grew up in rural Lehigh, Kansas on the family farm. Later the family moved to town and her Dad managed the local coop. Ethel attended Lehigh schools and graduated from Lehigh High School. She attended McPherson College and received a Bachelor of Science in Business. After graduation she worked as a bookkeeper for the Lehigh Coop.
She married (Richard) Dick Bartel on August 8, 1949. where they farmed in Lehigh for 3 years. Later the couple moved to Newton and she attended Bethel College to receive her teacher certification.
She and Dick bought the hardware store in Valley Center, Kansas. In addition to bookkeeping at the hardware store, Ethel began her teaching career as a Kindergarten teacher at Abilene Elementary school and continued her career there for the next 24 years until her retirement.
Ethel loved spending time at their Lake House in Shell Knob, Missouri where many happy family memories were made. She enjoyed quilting and made beautiful quilts for her children and grandchildren and loved visiting the quilt shops in Branson as well as going to various shows there. She also enjoyed collecting ceramic chickens and had many. She and Dick liked to travel and took several Chartered bus tours.
Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Verna Dalke, brother, Carl Dalke. She also had an older sister Evelyn Dalke who died at a young age during the Spanish Flu epidemic and a son, Richard Keith Bartel, who died as a child in 1961.
Ethel is survived by her husband, Dick Bartel, 2 sons and their wives; Mike and Charlotte Bartel, Tom and Lynn Bartel, all of Valley Center, her grandchildren, Jennifer and Joe Anaya of Kansas City, Stephanie and Brad Blessen of Kansas City; Sarah and Benjie Wolter of Denver, Colorado, Nathan Bartel of Valley Center Kansas, Michael Hodson of Valley Center and Kristen Bartel of Racine Wisconsin, Her great-grandchildren, Mayson Hodson, Hunter Hodson, Owen Hodson, Griffin Hodson, Sawyer Hodson, all of Valley Center, Dillon and Daniel Wolter of Denver, Colorado and Barrett Blessen of Kansas City, Kansas
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 27 at the United Methodist Church in Valley Center, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be designated in her memory to Valley Center United Methodist Scholarship Fund, 560 N.Park, Valley Center, Kansas 67147.
Baker Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com.