Ethelyn Lee Boddy

Ethelyn Lee Boddy, age 101, died August 15, 2026 of colon cancer at Spencer Place in St. Peters, MO, her residence for the final three years of her life. Her daughter and granddaughter were by her side.

Ethelyn was born July 6, 1925 in Kirksville, MO to Norva Avron (Motter) Funk and Daniel Paine Funk. Her sister Carol arrived five years later. Most of Ethelyn’s early years were spent in rural Columbia, MO in a home Norva’s carpenter-father Andy built. Ethelyn and Carol enjoyed a childhood of love and fun. Family lore includes playing dress up with Carol’s Old Tom the cat, Ethelyn nearly suffocating Carol (trying to keep her quiet in a game of hide and seek), and Carol biting into a tomato – accidentally squirting Ethelyn’s near-completed, hand-sewn purple blouse. Ethelyn often made beautiful hand-drawn and colored paper dolls and outfits for her little sister. (She made her last paper doll in her late-90’s.) The “sissers” as they called themselves, loved each other dearly.

Ethelyn’s parents stressed the value of education. Ethelyn would do the same, quoting her father: “Your education is the one thing no one can take from you.” Ethelyn excelled in math, science and the arts.

Her father Dan left his sheet metal business in Columbia, returning to Kirksville to move into the family home across the street from Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College (now Truman State University). He worked at the college as part of the building maintenance staff, along with his father-in-law, Andrew Motter. Norva was a nurse and lab tech at Laughlin Hospital. Their daughters graduated from the college with Education degrees.

Carol set up a blind date for Ethelyn with her college classmate, Vernon Boddy. They were married a year later, on Thanksgiving Day 1950. Their only daughter Patricia “Patty” Lee was born at Laughlin Hospital with Norva in the delivery room.

Vernon and Ethelyn soon moved to St. Louis to pursue their education careers. Ethelyn served as a Guidance Counselor at the Junior and High School levels in multiple districts, retiring from Pattonville School District. She and Vernon divorced shortly before retirement after 30 years of marriage.

She eventually met a gentleman friend who became her partner for 40+ years, Gene Culver. Gene sold insurance, loved his three caring children – along with cards, word games, golf, skiing and dancing. Ethelyn and Gene had many delightful times: Valentine’s dates at White Castle, festive New Year’s toasts and luncheons with Gene’s insurance colleagues, leading to lasting friendships.

Ethelyn spent her later years pursuing a long-time interest in poetry, earning some national awards. Every year since 1973 she wrote a birthday poem for Carol about Old Tom the cat. They were always funny and poignant. She started her own “House of the Fifth Season” press to publish her work.

She is perhaps best remembered for her Octogenarian and then Nonagenarian News. She collected jokes and poems, wrote short pieces, accepted contributions, laid out the publication, copied and mailed it to a list of free subscribers.

Throughout her life, she was passionate about science, the environment, health and nutrition. A crusade against salt probably earned her an FBI profile, when she unintentionally sent a letter to a CEO’s home address. A cease-and-desist letter made her back off – but just a bit. She eventually succeeded in getting No Salt Added canned beets offered at a local grocery.

But family always came first. She would plan watermelon and pumpkin birthday parties for her great nephews who lived nearby. With no pattern, she sewed her granddaughter’s poodle skirt for a stage role. When visiting, her grandchildren were treated to visits to the “boutique” (discounted clothing centers) and signed up for art classes. She, the art and science major (among others) would aid and critique. (She now has a full-time artist grandson and a nurse-practitioner granddaughter who really knows how to dress).

And, of course, they played games. Bridge was probably Ethelyn’s favorite but family fun included charades, red bowl, scrabble, poker, cribbage with Gene and in the final years, wordle. She and Carol (lovingly called the Funk Sisters) once got wordle in ONE. What was the word? Funky. (Eerie).

Ethelyn was a gifted writer, artist, mathematician and dramatist, an exceptionally generous person and a woman who loved her family beyond measure. Her last words to her daughter were “Goodbye, Angel.”

Ethelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved brother-in-law Coach “Gentleman Jack” Wells and her loving partner Gene Culver. She is survived by her daughter Patricia “Pat” Boddy (Robert Davis), her grandchildren Kathleen Carol “Kacey” Davis (Andrew Buscher) and Andrew Patrick “Andy” Davis (Anne Lukins), her great grandsons Jack Emmett and Theodore Patrick “Teddy” Buscher, her sister Carol Ann Wells, her niece Edith Della “Edie” Wells (Bill Higley) and her two great nephews William and Daniel Higley, and her cousin Helen Shumate.

She is remembered also by Gene’s children Kyle, Kyna and Keri Culver, and friends Dale and Betty Hitchcock.

The family thanks Spencer Place and Heartland Hospice for the care and concern provided to Ethelyn.

No service is planned. Her remains were donated to Washington University Medical School in St. Louis.

Memorials may be made in Ethelyn's name to the Center for Science in the Public Interest or Donor's Choice.