IN MEMORIAM: Ethel Joan Vetter, 78;

Nurse, Fire Dept. Auxiliary President

COOPERSTOWN – Ethel Joan Vetter, 78, a nurse and past president of the Cooperstown Fire Department Auxiliary, died peacefully Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, at her Pink Street home surrounded by her loving family.

Born Sept. 15, 1939, in Brooklyn, she was the daughter of George and Estell (Jochim) Hoffman. She graduated from PS 119, Queens; Richmond Hill High School, Queens; and Lutheran Medical Center School of Nursing, Brooklyn, in 1961, as a Registered Nurse.

On May 8, 1965, Ethel married Thomas G. Vetter.

During her early career, Ethel worked as a nurse in hospitals in Brooklyn and Queens.

Thomas and Ethel moved to Cooperstown in 1971. During their first several years in Cooperstown, Ethel worked at Mohican Flowers. Within a couple of years, she became the director of nursing at The Meadows, and served as a public health nurse and a labor and delivery nurse at the Bassett Birthing Center. She retired in January 1998.

Ethel was an accomplished cook and baker, who was in great demand as a cake decorator. She loved crafts, knitting and crocheting. For years she crocheted literally hundreds of baby hats, blankets, and sweaters, as well as caps for cancer patients. She was also a skilled cross stitcher and won many awards and accolades for the quality of her work.

Ethel was active in her community. She was a member and past president of the Cooperstown Fire Department Auxiliary and for many years served as a member of the Bereavement Committee at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church.

She is survived by her husband, Thomas; her daughters, Elizabeth Vetter of Hartwick, Kathleen Vetter of Toddsville; her sons, Christopher (Josette) of Clover, South Carolina and Thomas Jr. (Kristi) of Hartwick; her four grandchildren, Benjamin Vetter, Claudia Vetter, Haylie Black and Lindsey Black; and her great-grand-daughter, Ivy Michelle. She is also survived by her brothers, George (Claudia) Hoffman of Craryville and Joseph (Lauren) Hoffman of Harpersfield; and by her sister-in-law, Janet Rodgers of New Hyde Park; as well as by many nephews and nieces.

Visiting hours will be  4 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Tillapaugh Funeral Home, 28 Pioneer St., Cooperstown. At 4:45 p.m., a Fireman’s Service recognizing her many hours of volunteer work as a member of the auxiliary will be offered by members of the Cooperstown Fire Department. A funeral service will be officiated at 7 p.m. by the Rev. Sylvia Barrett, pastor of the Milford United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those who wish may make donations in Ethel’s memory to Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820.
Arrangements are under the supervision of Tillapaugh Funeral Service, Cooperstown.