Birds in the lobby brings back memories for Terraces resident Ethel Evert

“Come see the new display in the lobby case,” urged Sharon Munson, volunteer coordinator for MapleCreek. The look of surprise on Ethel Evert’s face when she saw it was priceless. “I wasn’t expecting this,” the 98-year-old resident of The Terraces at MapleCreek.

Without Ethel’s knowledge, her daughter Bonnie had brought in the family’s collection of beautiful carved wooden birds that had been crafted by Ethel and her late husband Julius. After he had retired as a longtime tool and die maker for Wolverine Brass, Julius turned his precision skills to carving the birds. And going from photographs of real birds, Ethel had painstakingly painted them by hand. “I wasn’t great at it, but I did the best I could,” she said. “I guess people liked them.” 

Ethel was happy to see the waterfowl decoys and other carved birds on display. She pointed out the Wood Duck. “That won a blue ribbon at Founder’s Day in Delton, Michigan,” she said. The ribbon was awarded by the Southwest Michigan Wildlife Carving Club. “And we made another loon like this one in the display case and sold it for $500,” Ethel said, pointing to the large carved bird. “I think we could have gotten $700. But I won’t sell this one, not even for a thousand dollars.” 

The Grand Rapids Press published a feature article about Julius Evert on Feb. 15, 1990. In it, he was quoted as saying, “Carving doesn’t come easy, but I’ve got a good wife who supports me. I keep telling her, ‘You never accomplish something unless you really put your heart into it.’” 

Julius was cared for by the staff at MapleCreek for the last three and a half years of his life, and died March 3, 2004. Ethel Evert has lived at The Terraces at MapleCreek since May 31, 2003.