PALMYRA: Johnson, Ethel Mae; died on Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at the age of 89. Family and friends are invited to call from 4-7pm on Sunday, August 7 at the Robert L. Yost Funeral Home, Inc., 123 W. Main Street, Palmyra. Committal prayers will be offered at 9:30am on Monday, August 8 at Palmyra Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Monday at Western Presbyterian Church of Palmyra with a reception to follow in Fellowship Hall. Please consider memorials to Western Presbyterian Church, 101 East Main Street, Palmyra, NY 14522. Ethel Mae was born in Spencer, WV on January 9, 1927 the daughter of Ott and Carrie Chambers Boatwright. After moving to Palmyra in 1963 Ethel Mae quickly became a familiar face in the community. She served as village clerk from 1980 to 1991. In her official duties Ethel Mae was known to be kind to anyone with business with the village. Ethel Mae is better known however for her unofficial role as “Palmyra’s First Lady” and affectionately “The Bag Lady of Palmyra,”, a title she received for her dedication to picking up trash and cans around the village and donating proceeds to those in need. Ethel Mae was an elder and deacon of Western Presbyterian Church. She was a member of Historic Palmyra and for several years wrote human interest stories for the Courier Gazzete and Courier Journal. In 1992 Ethel Mae was honored as the Canaltown Days Parade Grand Marshall. Perhaps Ethel Mae’s most endearing trait is her habit of writing notes, sending clippings or cards and otherwise remembering the countless hundreds of people she considered friends. Ethel Mae is survived by her sons Paul, Charlie (Desi) and Neil (Kay) Johnson; brother George Boatwright and grandchildren Matthew and Kaitlyn Johnson. She is predeceased by her sister Oleta Merle; brother William Boatwright and niece Connie Stone.