Ewert, Walter Edwin (1913-1951)

link titleMennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Apr 19 p. 1

Birth date: 1913 Jul 16

text of obituary:

Ewert Funerals Held At Freeman Last Sunday

THOUSANDS ATTEND AS FOUR MEMBERS OF ONE FAMILY ARE LAID TO REST

(By Marion Kliewer, Journalism Student of Walter Ewert)

Four members of the William J. Ewert family of Marion, S. D. were laid to rest Sunday, April 15.

Funeral services for W. J. Ewert; his son, Walter E. Ewert; Mrs. Walter E. Ewert; and a daughter of Walter Ewerts, Sylvia; were held at 2 p.m. in Pioneer Hall at Freeman Junior College, Freeman, S. D.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ewert with their family left Lawrence, Kans., Wednesday morning to be at the bedside of his father who was critically ill. At 5:30 p.m. their automobile collided head-on with a semi-trailer transport one mile north of Onawa, Iowa. Three members of the family were killed instantly.

The remaining son, Ronald, was taken to the Onawa hospital where his condition on Friday was reported as “critical.” X-rays showed that he suffered a crushed chest and fractures of one hip and his jaw. Hospital authorities said it would be a day or two before they would say if he would live or not.

The truckdriver, Wilbur Kaintz, Council Bluffs, Iowa, was uninjured. He told highway patrolmen the Ewert car skidded on snow-packed U. S. highway 75. The Ewert car (with Mrs. Ewert probably driving) skidded under the rear of the big transport and was literally broken into shreds.

The elder Ewert died at 2 pm Thursday, April 12, without knowing of the death of his son’s family.

Mr. Ewert joined the faculty of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Public Information, Lawrence, Kan., in the fall of 1948. He was an assistant professor of journalism and was faculty adviser to the University Daily Kansan, official student publication at Kansas University. He taught courses in reporting and supervised the reporting and editing laboratories.

Bethel College Graduates

Mr. and Mrs. Ewert were graduates of Bethel college, North Newton, Kan. After graduation in 1937, he did public relations work at Bethel. He received his master’s degree in journalism in 1940 from Northwestern university, Chicago. He taught journalism at the Englewood Evening Junior college while attending Northwestern.

In 1941 Mr. Ewert went to work as reporter on the Chicago Sun. He stayed on the Sun until 1914, when he got a job as reporter for the Minneapolis Tribune. He left the Tribune in late 1947, and taught journalism at South high school in Minneapolis until February, 1948.

The Ewerts were members of the First Mennonite church, but participated in the activities of the Lawrence Presbyterian church. Mrs. Ewert was the Sunday school pianist.

Sponsored Mennonite Fellowship

They were responsible for the organization of the K. U. Mennonite fellowship several years ago. Mr. Ewert was the fellowship sponsor. On Sunday, April 8, they participated in a Communion service sponsored by the Mennonite fellowship.

In October, 1950, he underwent an eye operation to correct a detached retina. His sight was improved as a result of the operation.

Mr. Ewert was 37; his wife, Louise, was 37; Sylvia was 8; and Ronald is 6.

Mr. Ewert is survived by his mother, Mrs. W. J. Ewert; Mrs. Ewert is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Richert, Los Angeles, Calif; and one brother, Rev. Irwin Richert, Dalton, Ohio.

Funeral Services

Bethel College friends who attended the combined funerals at Freeman Sunday included Prof. and Mrs. Willis Rich, Dr. and Mrs. Harley Stucky and Mrs. Cor. Krahn.

An estimated 2,000 persons filled Pioneer Hall, with perhaps another 1,000 gathered outside. Rev. Glen Epp of Dolton, S. D. read the opening Scripture and led in prayer. President Edmund Miller of Freeman Jr. College preached the funeral sermon. Another sermon was by Rev. Harold D. Burkholder of Omaha, Nebr., a former pastor of Mrs. Ewert at Los Angeles, Calif. The Freeman Jr. College choir sang “O Power of Love," "Unto the Hills” "Be Still my Soul" and two German selections, “Befiehl du Deine Wege" and "So nimm denn meine Haende." Dr. Harold Gross of Freeman led in prayer at the close. Organ music during the processional was by Elvira Voth.

More than an hour was required for the thousands of sorrowing friends to pass the four caskets. Three hearses carried the bodies back to the Dolton church where they were laid to their final resting place, side by side, in Rosehill cemetery.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 May 31 p. 9

text of obituary:

WALTER EDWIN EWERT

Walter Edwin Ewert, son of Wilhelm J. and. Anna Tieszen Ewert, was born July 16, 1913, near Marion, S. Dak. His life ended abruptly on April 11, 1951, near Onawa, Iowa, bringing his age to 37 years, eight months, and 26 days.

In 1930 Walter accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour and was baptized and received into the membership of the Bethel church near Marion by Rev. J. A. Tieszen.

After completing grammer [sic] school in his rural district he availed himself of opportunities for further education. He attended Dolton high school for one year and completed the academy course at Freeman Junior college where he also began his college course. After further study he was granted the B.A. degree at Bethel college, North Newton, Kansas, in 1937.

Having received a scholarship for graduate study he attended Northwestern university at Evanston, Illlinois [sic], which conferred on him an M.A. degree in Journalism in 1940. When the Chicago Sun was established he became a reporter covering police and court assignments in Evanston.

On June 2, 1942, he was united in marriage to Louise Richert at Los Angeles, California.

WALTER and Louise Ewert and their two children. Ronnie is the only survivor.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Jul 19 p. 5

text of obituary:

ESTABLISH MEMORIAL FOR WALTER EWERT FAMILY

Considerable newspaper publicity has been given to the raising of an education fund for Ronald Ewert by the faculty and students of Kansas university, and also to the hospital fund raised by businessmen of Lawrence.

Less has been said about a memorial fund to the Ewert family which has been given by relatives and friends for a lasting memorial preferably in connection with foreign missions. At the suggestion of a returned missionary the money will doubtless be used or a set of illustrated Children’s Encyclopedias for the school at Jagdeeshpur.

This will be the most appropriate memorial from several viewpoints: Books for children in honor of little Sylvia Kathleen; a gift for a library in memory of Mrs. Ewert, who was a professional librarian; and Walter Ewert at one time did editorial work on an encyclopedia while he was studying in Chicago. The fund is still growing, and as soon as the complete amount has been given, the encyclopedia will be purchased and sent to India.

Rev. A. F. Tieszen of Newton is in charge of the fund.

The Mennonite obituary: 1951 May 29 p. 355