Ethel Aurora Essig

Ethel Aurora Essig, 95, slipped peacefully into Heaven on August 2, 2025 in Westminster CO surrounded by family, prayer and love. She spent nearly a century on this earth — and according to her, that was plenty of time to get everything done and still have time for pie. She said her Engine is good but her Chassis was wearing out!

Ethel was born to Emanuel and Edith Sutherland in Detroit Michigan on March 11, 1930. She came into the world with a strong will, a kind heart, and a sparkle in her eye — and she kept all three to the end.

Her family moved to Westminster CO in 1935 where she kept an eye on her brother David and the chicken farm. She graduated from Westminster High School. If you need to know anything about Westminster – Denver you do not need to “Google That”, just ask Ethel. She was a full source of knowledge.

Ethel was voted to be Santa Lucia by the Augustana Lutheran Church Luther League. She was tall and blond! She wore a hand made crown or wreath of candles – made by a gentleman from Augustana Lutheran Church. Of course, they used real candles since fireless didn’t exist.

Ethel learned to play the piano and organ when she was young and loved to sing. She was part of the Augustana Chancelor Choir for many years.

Ethel worked for Ma Bell in the Revenue Accounting Department typing up billings. They had a machine that took care of the regular monthly statements. Her department took care of the exception statements when someone changed service and a portion of a month services were manually calculated (by Nelsa Frelund). Then Ethel typed up the bills using carbon copies. Glenis Peterson worked at Ma Bell also and sat in back of Ethel. Ma Bell busy season was coming to an end so that is why Ethel and Bob were married October 11, 1953.

Ethel married her beloved husband, Robert George Essig, in 1953. Their first date was going fishing and they captured love in their heart since then. Together, they raised three children. Cynthia (Greg Tapp), Kathleen, and Dick (Sue). Who all called her Mom. She adored her grandchildren Christopher, Jessica, Katie, and Maggie who called her fondly Mormor or Farmor. She was "Somemors" or “Morfarsmor” "Mormorsmor" to Milo, Josie, and Aurora. We all referred to her as the matriarch of the family.

She was the heart of their home in Denver — cooking and gardening with a divine thumb and showing off her beautiful collection of irises in the spring and talking about the Schwartzbeeren “black berries” in the garden. There was always something blooming in the garden from spring through autumn. She was one of the founding members of Hampton Heights Garden Club.

She loved gathering with family for Holidays and Birthdays. Her Peach and Blueberry dumplings were a favorite which everyone pitched in to make. The family tradition was the Swedish Christmas Eve Dinner including Lutefisk, Swedish potato sausage (Potatis Korv), Glogg, Bond Ost Cheese, rice porridge, lingonberries and other treats. Christmas Day, we enjoyed homemade Cardamom bread. The tradition will continue.

Ethel and Bob enjoyed taking the family camping, fishing and traveling around Colorado. The two of them took many trips around the United States and abroad centered around the gardens of the world. They were both big into their garden.

Ethel was part of the Sunrise of Westminster Assisted Living Family for the last several years where she continued to enjoy card games, Chinese checkers and especially BINGO. She had many resident and staff friends. She taught new staff patience and perseverance. She cared for everyone.

Her faith was the steady rhythm of her life. She loved her home and friends at Augustana Lutheran Church of which she was proud to be a member for 90 years. She loved showing off the needle point pads and banners at church which she helped to make. She offered wisdom freely, advice gently, and love unconditionally. She believed every day was a gift — even the hard ones — and she was known to say, "Well that's just it there!" Ask her how she is doing and she would say “I’m perking along”.

She is now fishing with her husband Bob and son Dick in Heaven. She was greeted by many family and friends who all loved her. There is sure to be a Chinese Checkers and Bingo game waiting for her in Heaven.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to her favorite causes at Augustana Lutheran Church or your local food bank. Ethel would have preferred you to bake something for a neighbor, plant something pretty in the garden and if you are able, have a slice of pie and say a pray of thanks.

A celebration of Ethel’s life will be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church. Please sign the guest book on this Obituary Page. 

August 2, 2025 5:30PM – Raining for the 3rd time this afternoon. “When someone dies that God Loves, it rains a lot of tears.”