Ethel Holtzapple

Ethel Guyer Holtzapple, age 107, wife of the late Branson Holtzapple, died January 16, 2021 at Brookridge Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she was a resident for 3 years.

Born January 9, 1914 in Rockingham County, Virginia, the daughter of the late Oscar and Nina Guyer. The family moved to Elida, Ohio in 1917 where she lived for the next 71 years. She was a graduate of Elida High School in 1931.

She developed a keen interest in the piano at an early age and took her first lesson at the age of 4. She played for her school, church, and various community groups for many years. In 1961 Ethel began a long career of playing in nursing homes in Lima, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio and Winston-Salem, N.C., she also would play weekly at Brookridge for 18 years until the age of 98.

Ethel married Branson Holtzapple in 1933 and participated in the growth of the family’s poultry business until Branson’s retirement. In 1985 they moved to Columbus, Ohio where her husband died in 1990. They were married for 57 years. Ethel moved to Winston-Salem in 1993 to live with her daughter, Maryann. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Lester Guyer and her son, John David Holtzapple, who died at the age of 16.

She is survived by her daughter, Maryann Holtzapple and a very dear friend, Nancy Turner as well as several “adopted” grandchildren, Janet and Jim Turner and Nicole Yaworski. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff of Brookridge Retirement Community for all the loving care she received, especially the staff of 7 east.

No services will be held in Winston-Salem, however, a graveside inurnment will held in Lima, Ohio at a future date. Online condolences may be sent to www.hayworth-miller.com.