Ethel Headen

Obituary For Ethel Headen

Ethel Mae Headen was born on March 17, 1924 to Zebulun Vance Headen and Nancy Dora Price Headen in Bear Creek, NC. Ethel was the seventh of eight children, including six brothers—Corrother, John, Redell, George, Donald and Clyde—and one sister, Bernice. Her mother died when she was just three years old, and her older sister, Bernice, became a mother figure. She grew up in Bear Creek, NC. As a child she and her family worshipped at Union Grove AME Zion Church. Ethel attended schools in Chatham, County, NC, and graduated from Goldston High School in 1939. Her favorite subjects were spelling and math; her favorite pastime, baseball. Ethel was admired for her decisiveness, forward-thinking, self-confidence, resourcefulness, and reliability. A hard worker, she prided herself on doing what she said she would do, often recalling her father’s advice: “Be truthful; whatever you promise to do, do it. If you aren’t going to do it, don’t say it, and if you aren’t going to do it right, don’t even try it.” Her strong work ethic and passion for excellence was evident in her work as a domestic on Long Island, NY, and later as a nurse’s aide at the Bayley Seton Hospital/United States Public Health Service Hospital (USPHS) in Staten Island, NY. After retiring from USPHS, she relocated to Baltimore, MD for a few years where she shared a home with her niece, Harriet. In 1990, she returned to the South and settled in Greensboro, NC. Ethel was a “people person” who loved serving others. Although she never had children of her own, many endearingly referred to as Mother Headen. Extremely generous, she helped others financially and opened her home to people needing a place to stay. She also cherished serving others through cooking and baking. She was well known for making her famous pound cake for friends and family near and far. Amazingly, she always had a pound cake in the freezer to satisfy someone’s sweet tooth! She loved hosting friends or family and always made sure her guests were comfortable and well-fed. Ethel took pleasure in flower gardening, bargain shopping, and crocheting afghans for relatives and friends. Perhaps, most of all, she enjoyed sitting on her front porch, greeting neighbors and passersby. She faithfully attended Bridge of Hope until her illness prevented her from doing so on a regular basis. God welcomed Ethel Mae Headen home on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, her nephew, Ronald Headen, and niece, Dorothea Elaine Davis. She is survived by her nieces and nephews: Horace Lee Taylor, Jacqueline Ann Richardson (Wendell); Brenda Nancy King, Bernice Harriet Taylor; her compassionate and devoted caretaker, and Leroy Beattie Taylor, Jr. (who, along with Harriet, cared for Aunt Ethel); several great nieces and nephews; great-great nieces and nephews; great-great-great nieces and nephews; cousins; godchildren; Liz Hartnett, who was like a sister; a host of friends; and her spiritual family, which includes the Bridge of Hope Church family and several brothers and sisters in Christ from previous churches. We will cherish her memory and look forward to reuniting with her when Christ calls us home. Sorrowfully submitted, The Family

In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial donation to Bridge of Hope Church (PO Box 370, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313) or Today’s Care and Family, Inc. (3039 Hamilton Ave., Baltimore, MD 21214).

Funeral Details – The funeral service will be live-streamed at 10:30 am by Bridge of Hope Church, Greensboro, on Facebook and YouTube. Viewing – Monday, August 29, 2022, 7:30 – 9 pm at Perry J Brown Funeral Home, 909 E. Market Street, Greensboro Viewing and Funeral Service -- Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at Bridge of Hope Church, 4104 Short Farm Road, Greensboro  Viewing – 9:30 am  Funeral – 10:30 am