Ewert, William J. (1881-1951)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 Apr 19 p. 1, 3

Birth date: 1881

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.

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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.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1951 May 31 p. 9