Ethel Ione (Janes) Haskett

Ethel was born Ethel Ione Janes in 1920 in central Illinois farm country. The daughter of Cleta Flo and Harold Janes, a minister and farmer, she was one of 11 children. She grew up without two pennies to rub together, but to hear her tell it, she had everything she ever needed and was always wearing a smile. She loved school and reading, and devoured books like air. Her education was ended after 8th grade so she could help at home, but she continued to read and educate herself outside of her formal education.

At 18, she had the eye of several gentlemen, but after Frank Haskett threatened to kill himself if she didn’t agree to marry him, she became his bride, to which the many of us who followed are eternally grateful. She went on to have eight children, raised them in a two room home with no indoor plumbing, maintained a massive vegetable garden, baked, canned, made most of the family’s clothing and always took time to listen to our troubles like they were the most important thing she’d ever heard and as if she had nothing better to do. Her home, and specifically her kitchen, was a place filled with love, amazing home cooking, games, stories, a phone with the cord that could reach every room in the house, and a sewing machine. Her smile and laugh were food for the soul and she was never the first to pull away from a hug. Her recipes were rarely recorded, and generally included “pinches”, “dashes” and a “smidge” here and there. She had the love and devotion of many, but was as humble as country folk come. Her legacy and love have lived on through her eight children, and MANY grand, great-grand and great-great-grandchildren. And if you ask any of us, we’ll tell you that we were definitely her favorite.

How did Ethel’s make it to Old Town Lewisville?

Ethel’s sixth child, Barbara Joy, is known to be an overall amazing, kind, trustworthy human, just like her mom. Barb’s daughter, Ethel’s granddaughter, inherited her love of cooking from Ethel, and branched out to whiskey-making in 2012, founding BENDT Distilling Co. And in 2025, Natasha is creating this space in Ethel’s name and honor.