Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt, Dee Etzel, 90, passed away on Good Friday, April 7, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Villa in Salt Lake City. She was born on April 17, 1932 in Sunnyside, Utah to Sunny and Ida Compagni Fratto. Married Ernie Etzel on August 28, 1954 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Dragerton. Dee was a life-long resident of Carbon County and remained active in the community, serving on the Carbon High Class of 1950 Reunion Committee and the Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church Parish Council. She took pride in her work, first at Carbon Hospital and later at the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, retiring in 1991. In September of 2022 she moved to Salt Lake to be closer to her family.
Mom was a genuine “coal miner’s daughter” who taught all of us the value of hard work and devotion to family. We will remember her for her spirit, energy, kindness, and selflessness along with her occasional feistiness and stubbornness. She was truly one-of-a-kind, and we loved her dearly.
Mom demonstrated her love for us each spring with personalized braided loaves of Easter bread for all the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. Christmas brought Italian cookies of all kinds including our favorites turdelli, scallili, and mostaccioli. Along with Dad, she also enjoyed making us work for our Christmas gifts. They devised elaborate schemes, sending us on scavenger hunts through the snow and searching for money hidden inside walnut shells and coconuts.
Dee is survived by her three children, Scott, Leslie, and Tom (Annjanine); her seven grandchildren, Jenifer (Derek), Monica (Preston), Gina, Andrew, Kristen, Daniel (Amanda), and Christine (Brian); and her two great-grandchildren, Ella and Sam. She is also survived by her brothers, Gary (Denise) and Bob (Marie) and her sisters-in-law Cookie and Marilyn, along with many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceded in death by her husband, Ernie, her parents, and her brothers, Sam “Junior” and Joel “Toots”.
Our family would like to thank the staffs at St. Joseph’s Villa and Symbii Hospice for their loving care during the past month.
We will miss you, Mom.
Funeral Mass, Friday, April 14, 2023, 10:00 a.m., Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic Church in Price. Vigil service, Thursday evening 7:00 p.m., at Mitchell Funeral Home (233 East Main Street) in Price. Family will receive friends at Mitchell Funeral Home Thursday and Friday one hour prior to services. Committal service, Price City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net