Ethel Stageman

Member since December 2, 1975
Deceased January 27, 2011

Written and presented by Mary Sue Wickham:

Ethel Stageman was a great lady and a wonderful person. She was an inspiration to many. Ethel had a lot of friendships throughout her lifetime especially at the Council Bluffs YMCA helping others to lead them to better fitness throughout the years.

Ethel was a role model to us all. I’m so happy that I was able to give Ethel a farewell/christmas party at the YMCA this past year where she received her plaque for her 30 yrs. of dedicated volunteer service as the Aqua Joints Water Aerobics Fitness Instructor and have her picture be in the Nonpareil newspaper with the story I wrote about her. I am proud to have known Ethel Stageman. She always had a smile on her face and was full of joy and laughter. She was kind to everyone she met. In my last visit with Ethel at the hospital she said, “Mary Sue, will you always be my friend?” Then she said, “Now don’t forget to go to exercise class tommorrow.”

Ethel Stageman was a very religious lady and she also had a great devotion to the Catholic Daughters Court St. Anthony #330 where she had been a member for 36 years since 1975. Ethel enjoyed her many friendships and socializing with her Catholic Daughter lady friends. She was proud to have been the Chairman of the Catholic Daughters Calling Committee also.

Ethel is such a treasure and was a great lady full of knowledge and wisdom. She will be missed by everyone. I only wish she could have taught me how to swim! Now I have an angel in heaven watching over me. Ethel was a very kind, sweet lady who will never be forgotten. Ethel was like a grandmother to me because I no longer have grandparents. Ethel was special. If anyone deserves to be in the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame, it should have been Ethel. Ethel won the YMCA Shining Star Award and will always be a shining star in my life. She was proud of all her volunteer awards that she received. Ethel Stageman is a wonderful lady that will never be forgotten.

Our joys will be greater, our love will be deeper and stronger. Our lives will be fuller because Ethel shared her life with each and everyone of us.