Ewert, Marie Julianna Franz (1923-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Nov 8 p. 13, 14

Birth date: 1923 Aug 1

text of obituary:

MARIE FRANZ EWERT

Marie Julianna Franz Ewert, 87, of Bellevue, Wash., died Oct. 18, 2010. She was born Aug. 1, 1923, to Julius Albert and Agatha Dyck Franz near Lind.

She graduated in 1941 from Lind High School. She attended Menno Mennonite Church near Ritzville, where she was baptized in 1937.

She attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., for two years, then transferred to Whitworth College in Spokane, where she graduated in 1945 with a bachelor of science degree in home economics. She then taught home economics in the Odessa Public School system from 1945 to 1947.

On Aug. 31, 1947, she married Elmer Henry Ewert from Marion, S.D., at Menno Mennonite Church. She moved to his farm near Marion, where they lived and farmed for 50 years.

After becoming a member of Bethel Mennonite Church near Marion, S.D., she served many years as a children’s Sunday school teacher and superintendent.

She taught home economics briefly at Freeman (S.D.) Junior College and Academy and later served on the Freeman Junior College board of directors. Consistent with their lifelong support of Mennonite Central Committee, she and Elmer were instrumental in establishing and supporting the MCC thrift and fair-trade retail store in Freeman, the Et Cetera Shop.

Survivors include two daughters, Brenda Kae of Bellevue and Sheryl Marie of Sioux Falls, S.D.; four sisters, Viola Boese of Spokane, Clara Reimer of North Newton, Kan., Lucille Harms in Bellevue and Lois Bartel of North Newton, Kan.; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Franz of Lind; and a granddaughter.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer; two sisters, Marlene and Judy; and two brothers, Leonard and Henry.

Memorial services were held at Menno Mennonite Church near Ritzville. After her burial in Rose Hill Cemetery near Marion, S.D., another memorial service will be held at Salem Zion Mennonite Church near Freeman, S.D.