Ursula Ethridge

When Ursula entered Heaven on June 1, she was reunited with her loving husband of 66 years, Samuel (Sam); who preceded her in passing on November 27, 2021. Surviving Ursula are children Dorothy (Allen), Mark (Sigrid), grandchildren Morgan Lyman (Gary), Alexander Curry (Ashley), Sophia Kitnick (Craig), and Claudia Shanmugam (Kevin), and three great-grandchildren.

Ursula Wuestendoerfer was born on April 19, 1936, in Wassertrüdingen, Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of Sophie (Birkner) and Lothar Wuestendoerfer. After completing her formal education in her Bavarian hometown, she worked as secretary to the Bürgermiester (mayor). In addition, she was a model for her mother’s dress boutique until her marriage to Sam in 1956. She and Sam moved to the United States, where they lived in various locations due to military and then professional work assignments. Settling in Escondido, California, they built a house that they lived in for 50 years.

Ursula was an avid gardener, taking great pride in her plumeria plants that she brought back from one of her several visits to Hawaii. Additionally, she loved quilting and crafted many stunning quilts that she gave to family and friends. So devoted to the scores of hummingbirds that flocked to her front porch, some days Ursula refilled their feeders five and six times. Given her fondness of her miniature, flying friends, we might think of her as the “hummingbird whisperer.”

There will be a private, family-only celebration of the lives of Ursula and Sam.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Escondido Humane Society ( www.sdhumane.org ) or the Helen Woodward Animal Center ( https://animalcenter.org ).