Ethel J (Wallewein) Tomsheck

Ethel Johanna Wallewein Tomsheck, 86, a long time Sunburst area farm wife, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2014, at the Marias Medical Center in Shelby. Funeral service will be 2:00 pm, Friday, January 24, at the Sunburst Lutheran Church followed by burial in the Sunburst Cemetery. Visitation with family will be 7:00 pm, Thursday at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby.

Ethel was born May 3, 1927 on a farm near Sunburst to Adam and Helen (Mueller) Wallewein where she grew up and attended the Tomsheck-Wallewein country school. She graduated from Sunburst High School as Salutatorian and received scholarships for college. She received an Associate’s Degree from Northern Montana College in Secretarial Business.

Ethel married Robert A. Tomsheck May 2, 1948 in Sunburst and the couple farmed east of Sunburst their whole lives. Along with being a busy wife and mother, Ethel was a church pianist/organist, piano teacher, room-mother and ceramics instructor. She was also an active member of the Sunburst Lutheran Church Circle, Ladies Aid, Extension Homemakers, Girl and Boy Scouts, Farmers Union, and many other school activities and community organizations.

She enjoyed quilting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, embroidering, ceramics, music, gardening, cooking, entertaining, cards, puzzles, games but most of all her kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids.

Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Robert Tomsheck of Shelby; daughters, Lyla (Mike) Houglum of Corvallis, OR and  Bonnie (Wade) Miller of Kalispell; sons, Darold (Lorna)Tomsheck, Rex (Khandi) Tomsheck, Terry (Carol) Tomsheck and Clifton (Kelly) Tomsheck all of Sunburst; as well as  21 grandchildren & 38 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother, John Wallewein; and a great-granddaughter, Kateria.

She was a fun-loving and caring person who will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.