Funeral services for the late Ethel Ruth Tyler will be held on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 11:00 am at Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church, Bamberg, SC.  Interment services will follow immediately at Bamberg Memory Gardens, Bamberg, SC.  Viewing for the public will be held on Tuesday from 2:00-8:00 pm. A wake is scheduled from 6:00-7:00 pm at the funeral home.

On Friday, July 13, 2018 Ethel Ruth Tyler entered into eternal rest at the Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg, South Carolina. She was ushered into the presence of our Lord & Savior with her sister by her side.

The second of three daughters born to Nathaniel Tyler & Blanche Graham Tyler, Ethel was born on May 2, 1948 into a community that valued church & family. Her father & mother were devoted Christians & were pillars in the community. Ethel learned at a young age the importance of service, integrity, hard work & family.

Completing her secondary education in the public schools of Bamberg County, she went on to graduate from Voorhees College with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. She began her professional career as a social worker at the South Carolina Department of Social Services where she served for 35 & half years. During her tenure Ethel worked tirelessly to promote the safety & stability of children & elderly adults. Although while there she worked in many capacities, she specialized in foster care placement. Ethel went above & beyond her duties to ensure that all of her clients were protected & that the family unit was strengthened. For her helping children & their families receive the resources needed to have productive & fulfilling lives was life long mission. This would go on to become the theme of the story of her life.

Ethel was immersed in the Christian community. She believed in serving others while serving God. Her awareness that actions speak louder than words led her to become  the president of the Bamberg, South Carolina Branch of the NAACP. She worked diligently to expose members of the community, especially youth, to the plight of her people. She was an advocate for civil rights & used this platform to work with voter registration as well as coordinate marches all of over South Carolina for the removal of the confederate flag from the State House.

Ethel's unwavering commitment to service did not end there. Through her work as leader of the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church Youth Ministry she was able to share the Gospel while encouraging mission in the church, community & world. As youth leader, Ethel organized workshops, lock ins & trips that gave the young people the opportunity to learn more about God's Word & share His Word with others. Underscoring the themes of mission and activism, Ethel led annual trips to the State Capitol for MLK Day but also ensured that the youth visited nursing homes, attended UM youth conferences, and did mission projects at Epworth Children's Home. She loved each of her youth & they all held a special place in her heart.

God blessed Ethel with several gifts of the spirit that she used for the upbuilding of the body of Christ. She participated in a Community Book Club where she & her fellow members  engaged ,in a diverse way, through a variety of genres & explored how themes made an impact at the local & global levels. She enjoyed the fellowship & opportunity lead & discuss with others.  For many years Ethel worked alongside her sister, Nadine on the Back to School Backpack project. Later she would continue to keep her sister's vision alive by supplying community students with backpacks & supplies. Remembering the steadfastness of Ruth, she labored with enthusiasm on the gleaming of the fields mission, where home-grown vegetables were distributed to the elderly & those in the community.  Retreating to the beauty of Lake Junaluska, she & her sister, Blanche, would take the opportunity to grow deeper & gain a fresh approach to the Gospel & mission. Renewed, they would return ready for more service. Ethel truly loved her church & the United Methodist Women. She embodied the mission of the organization & she worked without ceasing to expand the concept of a community of women experiencing God through Jesus Christ. Ethel worked with the Hanging of the Greens, attended & led numerous workshops & led creative events that supported the vision of the church.  She worked in various capacities in the United Methodist Women. She served on the Orangeburg District UMW Connectional Council on Ministry. She worked as Orangeburg District UMW Lay Servant Instructor, Orangeburg District UMW Social Action Coordinator & Orangeburg District UMW Cluster Leader for the Bamberg/Demark Cluster. Her work with the United Methodist Women truly filled her with joy.

Ethel was a phenomenal public speaker & was often called upon throughout her community to speak at a variety of programs. Her strong voice & attention to articulation allowed her to captivate her audience.

Like her father, Mr. Nate, she knew the power of the river & found contentment while fishing. She enjoyed being there alone communing with her God or with family. Ethel also knew that good things grew from the earth & as her mother, Mrs. Blanche,  had done before her, she loved planting & caring for flowers.

Acting as caregiver for members of her family was what she treasured most.  The family looked to Ethel for her support, leadership & love in times of joy & of sorrow. Whenever she was needed, Ethel was there. Ethel's relationship with her parents & her sisters Nadine & Blanche personified what family & sisterhood encompassed. The "Three Tyler Sisters" occupied a special place in the community, exemplifying love, loyalty & devotion to each other.  That same love extended to her Four Girls; Acacia, Mahassen, Shonta & Misty & their children. Her devotion to her family & firm belief in God carried her through during all of the storms of life & ultimately gave her peace during her most trying battle.

Ethel leaves to remember & cherish her memory- her devoted sister; Blanche Deloris Banks of Bamberg, SC; four nieces: Acacia Bamberg Salatti of Harlem, NY, Mahassen Banks Cauthen(Jerron) of Lancaster, SC; Shonta Banks Crosby(Corey) & Misty Dawne Bamberg both of Bamberg, SC; three great nephews; Corey Jacoby Crosby, John Harrison Williams & Chanston Jakari Crosby all of Bamberg, SC; two great nieces; Cameryn Faith Cauthen & Eryn Camille Cauthen both of Lancaster, SC; She also leaves to mourn-  Mary Alice Williams of New York, Hermean Graham of Bamberg, SC, Flossie Grundy of Summerville, South Carolina & host of cousins, friends & neighbors.