A beloved mother and friend, Ethel F. DelBalso, died unexpectedly in her home on Friday, October 8, 2021. She was 76 years old.
Ethel was born on June 24, 1945, in Titusville, PA to Frank Tomaino and Ethel May Habich. After graduating from Titusville High School, she began her adult life in and around Erie, PA. She relocated to Warren in 2000 after her marriage to the late Jerry DelBalso.
During her time in Warren, Ethel retired from Titan X in Falconer, NY. In her retirement she and her husband were able to realize their dream of owning and operating a small antique store. Together they were the proprietors of Off the Beaten Path where they sold a variety of home decor and refurbished furniture. She also gave back to the community through her involvement with Hooktown Holidays and their charitable work.
She is survived by her siblings, Anna and Frank, as well as her two sons, Russell and Andrew. She had one grandchild, Andrea Rae McCord, of Kane, PA. She was particularly fond of children and never passed on an opportunity to “adopt” grandchildren from the blended families to which she belonged. Never once did she hesitate to show them the same love and compassion that she had for her biological family.
In addition to her family, she is survived by a multitude of friends. No matter where life took her, Ethel forged life-long relationships with people she cared for deeply. You are too numerous to name here, but please know that she spoke of all you lovingly and frequently.
Her immediate, local family are making arrangements for a private ceremony to be held in Titusville, PA at a date to be determined. Since traditional services will not be held the family asks that, in lieu of flowers, those wishing to send their condolences consider making a small donation to Hooktown Holidays or another local charity in her name. Those wishing to send e-mail condolences may do so by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com
The Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home, Inc. has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.
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I knew Ethel from her days at Titan X and after Retirement. Ethel was the most concerned caring involved Human Resource person I have ever know. She worked so hard to make sure her employees and retirees had the best situations they could. I missed her so much after she retired. We kept in contact for a couple of years and then lost track of each other. I think of her often. I am so sorry to hear of her death. She will be a forever friend for me!
Thinking of you and your family as we all adjust to life without Ethel
Thank you for that I am one of her son’s Russell she is missed.
A more kind and loving lady could not be found if you were to search 10 lifetimes. Although I will miss her smile in person I will carry it always in my mind. Such a fantastic lady.
What a beautiful tribute to Ethel. I considered her a very dear friend. I first met her at a Welch picnic. At the time, she was an Executive Assistant for Don Ryberg, VP of HR for Welchs and also supported my husband, Jack who was the Recruiting Manager at the time. He learned early on, that she loved antiques and so we always looked for a special piece of glass wear for her Christmas present. Over the years she developed a love for many different collections and I always loved prowling around in her house looking at her latest addition. We moved away to Michigan for a few years and when I came back she was the HR Manager for Better Baked Foods. I went in for an interview for a secretarial opening and she hired me, but only after making me take a typing test. We became fast friends. She introduced me to a love for antiques (in particular quilts), country decor (her house was always beautifully decorated) and nice clothes (only bought on sale). She was very stylish, always. We lost track of each other when Jack and I moved away to Massachusetts, but reconnected when Jack and I moved back to Rochester, NY. Her boys were all grown up by then, but she had the opportunity to live near them and stay close. She always talked about Russell and Andrew and how proud she was of them both. Once we reconnected we made a point of doing a yearly get-together, generally with Ethel coming to visit where ever I happened to be living. A couple times in Hilton Head, SC; once meeting up at her high school friend, Carol’s in Pauleys Island, SC for a fun few days; once a road trip to Florida to visit her friend, Silvia; and lastly a visit here in Hendersonville, NC. She had several really good friends and I think we all know why. Ethel was a classy and intelligent lady and I’m going to miss her and our bi-weekly phone calls a lot. We solved a lot of the world’s problems on these calls as well as talking about what my son, Jacob was up to and her sons, Russ and Andrew. I’m still trying to process this loss. My heart goes out to Russell and Andrew and her family. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers over the coming days. Much love to you all, Mary Lou and Jack Boise
Ethel was a friend and I miss her. I was shocked to hear of her passing, as we had just visited together. I think she was one of the most accepting people I knew. She took the good from everyone she interacted with and pushed any negative parts out of her mind. She focused on what mattered in the people she was close to. We became friends at work, and stayed in touch throughout. We lost a very nice woman too soon.
She had told me she didn’t want a big funeral gathering, but it is a shame I won’t meet her sons that she talked about so much. Peace be with you.