Ethel Marie Lister, age 88, of Ludington, passed away on Thursday June 16, 2016 at Mercy Health in Muskegon. She was born on December 5, 1927 to the late Charles and Emma (Johnson) Peterson. When Ethel was two years old, her mother died of tuberculosis. She and her sister, Ann Conrad, were separated and Ethel joined the family of her paternal uncle, Otto Peterson and his wife, Hannah (Geil) Peterson and their children, Richard and Rheata. Ethel attended Ludington High School, graduating with the class of 1945. She married Arthur Lister on February 28, 1953 in Ludington. Arthur preceded her in death on August 12, 2005. During high school, Ethel worked as a telephone operator to help support the family. Following graduation, she worked in the payroll department at Dow Chemical Company until she left to devote her time to her family and do bookkeeping for the family farm, Lister Orchards. Ethel also served as Pere Marquette Township Clerk in the 1970s. She was a lifelong Democrat and served as a delegate to the 1984 Democratic National Convention. Ethel was devoted to her family and extended family and took great joy in their growth and accomplishments. She is survived by her children Janet (the late Lynn) Murphy, Karen Lister (John Link) and Arthur (Sheri) Lister Jr.; grandchildren Alison (Joshua) Perkins, Brian (Elizabeth) Murphy, John (Brittany) Lister, Joseph (Kohlee) Lister, Chelsea Lister and Katherine Link; great grandchildren Evangeline Perkins, Gabriel Perkins, Philip Perkins, Sarah Murphy, Rebecca Murphy and Abigail Murphy; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ethel was preceded in death by her siblings Ann Conrad, Richard Peterson, Rheata Hesling, Adeline Ehler and Ray Peterson. Cremation has taken place and a private memorial service will take place at a later date. Please feel free to share a photo or memory with Ethel’s family on her personal page at www.oakgrovefh.com. The family has entrusted arrangements with Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center of Ludington.