Twing, Ethel Louise (1922–2014)

Ethel Louise Twing was an Adventist missionary and a registered nurse who devoted her entire life to serving the continent of Africa.

Early Life, Education and Marriage

Ethel Louise Twing was born on June 20, 1922, in Lake Lucerne, New York, U.S.A., to John Charles Hall (1878–1955) and Cora B. Hall (1881–1957). Raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ethel developed a strong passion for helping others, which led her to pursue a career in nursing. After graduating from Union Springs Academy, she attended Atlantic Union College and Eastern Washington State College. In 1974, she earned an associate degree from Walla Walla Community College and subsequently became a licensed practical nurse.¹

During her nursing studies, Ethel Louise Hall met James Arthur Twing, who was enrolled in a physical therapy program at Loma Linda University. Their connection was immediate, and just three months after meeting, they were married. Over the following years, they welcomed three children: their first son, Alan Twing (1944–2017), followed by another son, Bruce Twing, and a daughter, Sylvia Hauner Twing. As they raised their family and James established his career in physical therapy, their shared desire to serve as missionaries continued to grow.²

Ministry

In her early years of marriage and ministry, Ethel’s life was closely intertwined with that of her husband, James Twing. From the beginning, the couple shared a strong desire to serve as missionaries. However, when James inquired about the requirements for mission service, he learned that the church was not seeking physical therapists for overseas work—it was specifically looking for doctors. As a result, James decided to pursue a medical degree. At the time, U.S. medical schools imposed an age limit of 30 for incoming students, which prevented him from enrolling domestically. Instead, he enrolled at the Universidad Autónoma in Guadalajara, Mexico. The family relocated to Mexico, where they lived for seven years while James completed his medical training.³

After earning his medical degree, Dr. Twing returned to the United States with Ethel and their children. Upon their return, he joined a medical practice in Michigan with two other Seventh-day Adventist physicians. While working locally, he discovered that his colleagues also shared a passion for mission service. Together, they developed a rotation system: two doctors would remain in the U.S. while the third served overseas for six months, after which they would rotate.⁴

In 1969, it was Dr. Twing’s turn to serve abroad. The Twings were invited to serve together at Heri Mission Hospital in western Tanzania, which provided medical care to the local community. Both felt that they had finally found their true calling. When the six-month term ended, they were eager to return to Africa on a more permanent basis.⁵

Due to transportation challenges in Tanzania at the time, the Twings recognized the need for an airplane to ensure faster and more reliable access to the medical facilities they planned to serve across the country. To afford a custom-made aircraft—designed to accommodate a patient, an attendant, and the pilot—they sold all their possessions and relied on donations to cover the remaining costs. In 1970, the couple returned to Tanzania. Dr. Twing traveled by air to provide medical care in remote areas throughout the country, while Ethel taught at the Heri Mission Hospital School of Health. Together, they were fulfilling the mission they had long envisioned.⁶

Unfortunately, James did not live long enough to see the full realization of his and Ethel’s missionary vision. He had been scheduled to attend denominational committee meetings in Morogoro, located on the eastern side of Tanzania. He departed by plane, planning to stop overnight in Dodoma, approximately 200 miles from his final destination. Several days after his departure, the director of the School of Health received word from one of the meeting attendees that James had never arrived. Concerned, the director informed Ethel. Together, they traveled two hours to Kigoma to access a telephone and gather more information. A call confirmed that James had refueled in Tabora, in central Tanzania, but there were no further records of his journey. Ethel and the director then contacted the police and awaited further news.⁷

The news was tragic: James's plane had crashed, and he did not survive. On January 26, 1972, Dr. James Arthur Twing was killed in an airplane accident in Kibati, Mvomero, Tanzania, after just two years of full-time mission service in the country, from 1970 to 1972. He was laid to rest on the grounds of the Tanzania General Field, which is now known as the East-Central Tanzania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.⁸ With the loss of her beloved husband and ministry partner, Ethel was compelled to return to the United States.⁹

Continuing Ministry After Tragic Loss

Despite the deep loss, Ethel held firmly to her faith. After a period of grieving, she felt a strong desire to return to the mission field. She believed that God could still use her, even if it meant going back to Africa alone. Since the church preferred registered nurses for mission service, Ethel returned to school and earned her RN degree before rejoining the staff at Heri Mission Hospital. She returned to honor her husband’s memory and to ensure that personal hardship would not define her life. After some time working as a registered nurse, she was appointed director of maternal and child health programs. In this role, she traveled from village to village across Tanzania, providing medical care, food, and education to mothers, as well as vaccinations for children. She found deep fulfillment in ensuring proper nutrition and healthcare for the families she served, and she took great joy in caring for the mothers and babies throughout the region.¹⁰

While preparing for her board exams, Ethel also raised funds to build the Twing Memorial Clinic and adjoining buildings in Kigoma, a community located about 30 miles from Heri Mission Hospital. In 1975, she returned to the region of Africa where she had once served alongside her husband. She began her work again as a nurse at Heri Mission Hospital and later took on the role of director of the hospital’s Mother and Child Health program.

In 1990, Ethel played a key role in helping to establish the West Tanzania Field of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her commitment extended far beyond her formal duties. She welcomed promising African youth into her home, supporting their education. She trained pastors, planted new congregations, financed church construction—including purchasing roofing materials—and sponsored church workers, including pastors, teachers, and nurses.

Ethel remained in Africa until after her 80th birthday, only returning after suffering a stroke. She was a devoted member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tanzania, where her membership remained until her passing.

Ethel Twing’s love for children extended well beyond her nursing responsibilities. Among the Tanzanian communities, she became affectionately known as Mama Twing. She often welcomed children into her home, observing their character and work ethic. If they showed promise and dedication, she would personally sponsor their education, covering their tuition and other school-related expenses. During visits to the United States, she raised funds to support even more students in their educational journeys.

At any given time, Ethel cared for 10 to 15 children, who typically stayed with her for one to two years. One of those children was Musa Mitekaro. She gave him homework in English, Bible, science, and mathematics, and taught him the value of hard work and the importance of education. Recognizing his eagerness to learn, she brought him along on her trips to various villages and even involved him in local fundraising efforts, showing him how donations were collected, managed, and used for community projects. Mitekaro came to view Ethel as a second mother. Her guidance left a lasting impact on his life, both spiritually and academically. Ethel Twing and Mitekaro envisioned establishing an English-speaking Seventh-day Adventist school in Kigoma. They prayed and worked diligently toward making that vision a reality. Although they initially faced a lack of funding, they witnessed doors open as resources and materials began to come in.

Sadly, Ethel did not live to see the school completed. In 2002, at the age of 80, she suffered a stroke and returned to the United States. Reflecting on her life in Africa, she often expressed a deep longing to remain with the children she had cared for and mentored, whom she affectionately referred to as her African children.

Final Years

Ethel’s service to the people of Tanzania did not end with her return to the United States. In recognition of the Twings’ commitment—especially Ethel’s—the newly established school was named Twing Memorial School. Today, it serves over 650 students and continues to grow, supported by dedicated individuals who carry on the Twings’ mission.

In her later years, Ethel lived at the Life Care Center in Kennewick, Washington. Despite the challenges and detours along her journey to becoming a missionary, she remained grateful, often reflecting on the children she had served and the ways God had worked through her. Her legacy lives on.

Ethel Twing, affectionately known as Mama Twing, passed away on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in Kennewick, Washington, U.S.A. She was laid to rest beside her husband, Dr. James Twing, at the headquarters compound of the East-Central Tanzania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Morogoro, Tanzania.¹¹

Legacy

Ethel Louise Twing will always be remembered for her deep love of children and her unwavering spirit. A God-fearing woman, committed Adventist missionary, and registered nurse, she dedicated her entire life to serving the people of Africa. Even after the loss of her beloved husband, she never abandoned the shared vision they had cherished since childhood—to serve as missionaries.

Ethel’s legacy is closely tied to the impactful work she and Dr. James Twing carried out at Heri Adventist Hospital and its 22 satellite dispensaries throughout Tanzania. Additionally, she is remembered for co-founding the Twing Memorial School, a private, non-profit primary and secondary school in Munanila, Buhigwe District, Kigoma Region. This institution continues to honor her commitment to education and community development.

Sources

“Dr. James Twing and Ethel Louise Twing.” http://memorialwebsites.Legacy.com. Accessed October 22, 2023

“James Twing.” http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Massachusetts/James-Twing_38q6dy Accessed November 15, 2023.

Terwillegar, R. “Twing’s Legacy of Service in Tanzania: Continues with Training Lay People to Spread the Gospel.” Gleaner, August 2007.

Tompkins, H. “A Mission is More Than a Dream.” Life Care Leader, 2014.

Notes

1. Unless otherwise noted, this biographical account of Ethel Twing’s life is based on the authors’ personal memories—as members of the Twing family—and on family documents from a private collection.↩

2. Heidi Tompkins, “A Mission is More Than a Dream,” Life Care Leader, 2014 Edition, 7-9.↩

3. Ibid.↩

4. Ibid.↩

5. Ibid.↩

6. Ibid.↩

7. Ibid.↩

8. Rachel Terwillegar, “Twing’s Legacy of Service in Tanzania: Continues with Training Lay People to Spread the Gospel,” Gleaner, August 2007, 10-12.↩

9. Tompkins, 7-9.↩

10. Ibid.↩

11. “Dr. James Twing and Ethel Louise Twing,” accessed October 22, 2023, http://memorialwebsites.Legacy.com.↩