Her life was characterized by friendliness and kindness and was anchored in the security of family and her faith in God.

She was born Sept. 13, 1936, in Atlanta, Ga., to William Frederick Ogden and Ethel Farmer Hunter Ogden. Within her first year, the family moved to Chicago where her father took a job with Hotpoint, a subsidiary of General Electric. She began her education at the Chicago Latin School for Girls. Right before she started high school, the family moved to Greenwich, Conn., where she attended and graduated from Rosemary Hall school for girls. She continued her education at Sweet Briar College in Virginia because it was “a college that felt the most like home.” Hence, began a lifelong devotion to SBC. Over the years she was an active recruiter of prospective students, and took numerous volunteer roles – most notably president of the Alumnae Association, and later as a member of the Board of Trustees. In 2003 she was the recipient of the Outstanding Alumna award.

While at Sweet Briar she met John Armistead Burwell Jr. who was enrolled in the Darden School at the University of Virginia. They found that they had similar backgrounds: both were born into families with strong Southern roots, but had fathers with college degrees in electrical engineering who moved their families to the north for better paying jobs. They were married in the fall of 1958 in Greenwich and began married life in Indianapolis, Ind. After two years and the birth of their first child, Armistead was transferred back to the headquarters of the Chrysler Corporation and together they made their home in Grosse Pointe, Mich., for the next 50 years. Ethel fully embraced both her Grosse Pointe community, as well as the adjoining city of Detroit. She was an active volunteer with the Junior League of Detroit, the Sigma Gamma Association, the National Society of Colonial Dames in America, the Wayne State Metro Teen Conference for racial reconciliation, and as a pre-school reader and admissions volunteer for University Liggett School. In 1996 she was awarded The Spirit of Detroit award for service to the citizens of the city of Detroit.

Throughout her years in Grosse Pointe, however, she probably gave the most volunteer hours to Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, where she served in almost every possible volunteer capacity, and in numerous leadership roles. Although it is a large church, almost everyone knew her and knew that she was personally interested in them. That personal interest was evident in her hospitality towards the church’s annual ecumenical ministers from countries around the world. Another favorite church project was assisting a “Vietnamese boat family” in their assimilation into life in America. When the families arrived, they knew no English and had been stripped of all their money and possessions by pirates. The youngest children of the two families went on to obtain college degrees and launch into successful careers, but they continued to stay in touch with “Mrs. Burwell.”

During the 1980s, as their son was completing school, University Liggett School hired Ethel to work in admissions for the lower school. This was her only paid employment. Later, she served on the school’s board of trustees.

Ethel’s original career aspiration was to be a pre-school teacher and she always enjoyed spending time with children. After her own children had “left the nest,” she claimed the three young children of her pastor, Peter Henry, as her extra grandchildren. She loved having them in her home to enjoy her toy drawer and taking them on the same outings that she took her grandchildren on when they came to visit. The Henry children referred to the Detroit Metropolitan Zoo as “Miss Ethel’s zoo.”

Together, Ethel and Armistead had many close friends with whom they enjoyed spending time. They were famous for southern hospitality, hosting numerous dinner parties, their greatly anticipated annual Christmas caroling party and homemade Christmas peanut brittle. But her own family was the primary recipient of her hospitality. She planned parties, outings and “play dates” for both her children and grandchildren. Picnics by the lake at the community Pier Park were a staple of summertime. And the majority of vacations were spent building happy memories visiting grandparents.

Ethel was predeceased by her husband of 54 years and by their infant daughter Mary Armistead, as well as her older brother and two sister-in-laws. She is survived by her younger brother, Ross Ogden, of Greenwich, Conn., her children, Ethel Dowling (Ben), of Lexington, Lisa Reichard of Spring Hill, Tenn., and Armistead Burwell (Hannah) of Marietta, Ga.; her grandchildren, Andrew Reichard (Katy), Mary Reichard Kuik (Max), Peter Dowling (Hannah), Hunter Reichard, Betsy Dowling, Ben Reichard, Sarah Burwell and John Burwell, as well as six great-grandchildren and her dearly loved nieces and nephews.

Over the last two years she had the most amazing team of care givers that one could hope for and they are all now dear friends.

A memorial service will be conducted at Lauderdale A.R. Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 25, at 10:30 a.m. by Ethel’s son-in-law, the Rev. Benjamin W. Dowling, III. Inurnment will be at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Upperville on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sweet Briar College or Grosse Pointe Memorial Church.

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory. NG