Her Honour, Linda M. Ethell
Linda May Ethell (nee Endro) was born in Calgary, Alberta on March 23, 1939. She is equally proud of her Alberta roots and the Scandinavian heritage she inherited from her Norwegian-born mother and Swedish-born father.
Linda was raised and educated in Calgary. After marrying Donald Ethell on February 27, 1960, the newlyweds began a long series of moves prompted by his career with the Canadian Armed Forces. They went to West Germany where they welcomed their first son, Darrell, in January 1961. Second son, Douglas, arrived in March 1964 while the young family was posted to Victoria.
Subsequent family moves included multiple postings to Ottawa, Victoria and Calgary as well as relocations to Chilliwack, Damascus (Syria) and Sinai (Egypt). When unable to accompany Don on overseas postings, Linda settled with the boys in Calgary where she could be close to her sisters and other family members. Don and Linda have always considered the city to be their home base. Don and the boys are quick to point out that Linda’s love, support and steadying presence – combined with her ability to pack, unpack and generally keep together a household that included boys, dogs, birds and goldfish – was the unifying force that saw them through a total of 18 moves over the course of Don’s career.
In June 2010, Don and Linda moved again, this time into the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta’s official residence in Edmonton following Don’s appointment to the post.
Linda is an avid quilter who has won prizes at the Calgary Stampede Arts and Crafts competition. Her Calgary quilting guild has provided many quilts to the Colonel Belcher Veterans Care Centre and Children’s Cottage. She is also an avid gardener. In the past, she was employed by the Bank of Nova Scotia in Calgary.
Linda is an experienced traveler who has voyaged to Cyprus, Turkey, Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, and the USA. Trips to the USA include regular visits to California, which is the home of son Doug, their daughter-in-law, Iryna, and grand children, Natalie and Alec. Linda and Don are proud grandparents and keen supporters of Natalie’s growing talent as a ballerina, Alec’s success as a young athlete and both grandchildren’s academic pursuits. Their son, Darrell and their daughter-in-law, Ruth, make their home in Burlington, Ontario.
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