Recently, my good friend, Joe Lineweaver, passed away. His funeral is coming up, and I plan to write an eulogy. But when I sat down to write, I remembered his mother: Ethel Irwin Lineweaver.

Joe was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1938. He was the only child of Ethel Irwin and James Lineweaver. His grandmother, Stella, mostly raised Joe because his mother worked full time as a lawyer. Ethel was the first woman practicing attorney in the Shenandoah Valley. Ethel only had her high school diploma and no other formal education. But she was super smart. She started working as a stenographer for Mr. Ward Clinton Swank, a well-known attorney at the time. Eventually, she began to study law under his direction. Then, in 1929, she passed the State Bar examination. Soon after, she opened an office in Harrisonburg.

I remember Joe telling me stories about his mother. Joe said that men would enter her office and demand to see the lawyer. Ethel would say, “I am the lawyer.” Some men would still demand to see “the lawyer.” They thought Ethel was the secretary. But Ethel held onto her professional position. Sometimes she had to be stern and say, “I can help you, or there’s the door.”

Even though I’ve never met Ethel, I am so proud of her. She was an attorney in 1929! Also, she was in a profession saturated with men. I know it wasn’t easy for her, and I’m sure she had to work extra hard. I admire her determination, goodwill, and ambition. She was a trailblazer for all women! I hope that one day she will be well-known all around the world.

Namaste.

https://www.rockinghamcountyva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23238/CC-June-1-2026