Sheldon Helle wrote about his sister Ethel in his book "As I remember my family", published in 1990: "Sister Ethel was the first daughter and the 6th in our family. After five boys in a row, then to get a baby girl, the folks must have been elated beyond explanation. Ethel must have been a spoiled baby when small, but as time went on, she was a great person to us younger brothers and sisters as we grew up. I remember her taking over when Mother was gone for a few hours or longer; canning and al other work at the house. Also picking wild berries during the hottest of weather. This was important to the diet of a large family in the 1920's. Ethel was chosen the most beautiful baby at the Cuba, Illinois Home Coming Celebration. She was about one year of age and received a blue ribbon. At retirement age, Ethel started making stuffed animals as a hobby. She gave the animals to her family and donated many to handicapped children in hospitals and other institutions. She was written about far and wide as the Grandmother who gives away handmade stuffed animals." She even received a special letter of thanks from our US President, Jimmy Carter."

Ethel wrote in her book, "Memories": "With five older and five younger brothers, it would be natural to expect me to be a tomboy. I was not, even though at times I did try to keep up with the boys. I ended up with scarson my legs, which I still have today. The boys used to go swimming in the creek on our farm in hot summer months. One day, I decided to follow them and go swimming too. When I got there they were all swimming in their birthday suits. It was Royle who got out of the water, put his pants on and took me home. I never did learn how to swim. Sex was never discussed openly during this period of time. I believed I was some kind of a freak. I had watched my mother diaper one boy baby after another. I had never seen a girl baby. I will never forget the relief I felt when I saw my aunt diaper her baby girl. I was about five years old at the time, but I will remember that day vividly for the rest of my life. Ethel recalls her first day of school: "Don (one year older) and I shared a doubledesk. I was excitedly waiting for the learning to start when the teacher, scaring us, came down from her platform, walked over to our desk, and broke a ruler over Don's hand...We never knew why she did this, but she scared us so bad that we never dared to do anything wrong"
In her book, Ethel relates many more of her experiences attending a one-room school; i.e., Italian immigrant schoolmates, a terrible "tonguedisease" which the younger children did not understand but hoped they did not have, the joy of new books, box socials, spelling bees, high school, scarlet fever, measles, (Ida had eleven children sick at one time), etc. Ethel did not get to complete high school.
With so many brothers, boys were no novelty to Ethel, so when she met Don W., at the home of a friend, she did not pay much attention to him. However, Don noticed her and they were soon dating. Shortly after their engagement, Ethel's family home burned down in January 1928. George Adam built a new home on the same foundation, but Ethel never lived in it, having married before the house was completed. She and Don set up house keeping in an apartment in his folks' upstairs. At the time of their marriage, Don worked at the P&O Plow Works (later IHC Co.,) for 35 cents an hour, 5 and 1/2 days a week. Their first son was born in Graham Hospital. The bill being $19.00 and the doctor bill $25.00. (Sharon Bearce)