Elden Kenneth Ewalt

KNOX CITY, Mo. -- Elden Kenneth Ewalt, 86, of Knox City went to be with the Lord Sunday (April 13, 2008) at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mexico, Mo. He was born Jan. 23, 1922, north of Knox City, a son of John and Vern Snell Ewalt. On June 15, 1969, he married Evelyn Knight. She survives. Elden made his confession to God and became a member of the Edina United Methodist Church in 1969. Elden graduated from Knox City High School in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army and Air Force from March 1943 to October 1945. He started with basic training in the 8th Armored Division and transferred to the Army Air Force and went to Texas Tech College for a while, then went through Aerial Gunnery School and Bombardier Training and ended up as a bombardier on B-24s. After his discharge, he worked as a clerk in the Knox County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service office until August 1949. He attended the University of Missouri from September 1949 to June 1952, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. He taught vocational agriculture at Eddyville, Iowa, from 1952 to 1953 and in LaBelle from 1953 to 1964. From 1964 to 1989, Elden taught vocational agriculture at Knox County High School. For the first 12 years, he was a full-time high school teacher, with some adult work. Since 1976, he was a full-time adult instructor working with young farmers and young farm wives. During this time, the largest group of young farmers and young farm wives in Missouri received their quota of enrollees in the Missouri Farm Business and Analysis Program. He supervised the programs of 60 state farmers in Future Farmers of America and had also supervised the programs of 10 American farmers, three from LaBelle and seven from Knox County. Elden received a master of education degree from the University of Missouri in 1968 and went on to accumulate 44 additional college hours in agriculture from the University of Missouri. Elden served as district president and state vice president of the Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association and attended two National Missouri Vocational Agriculture conventions. Elden had been a member of the Knox City American Legion for more than 60 years and had served as post adjutant, finance officer, commander and as Americanism chairman. He also was a member of and chairman of the Department American Commission. Elden has served on the MFA advisory board and assembly of delegates of the LaBelle MFA Exchange for more than 25 years. He also served on the resolutions committee at the state convention. He had served as member and past president of the Knox County Rural Water Board. He served on the nominating committee for both the Lewis County Rural Electric Association and the Knox County Soil Conservation Service. He served as president and vice president of the Knox County Community Teachers Association. He also had served as president and vice president of the LaBelle Kiwanis Club. He was a member of the Knox County Farm Bureau and was a life member of both the University of Missouri Alumni Association and the Missouri Historical Society. He had served two two-year terms on the Knox County Extension Council. While working on his master's degree in summer 1965 he spent two weeks in Paris, France, two weeks at Reading University in England and one week at Coventry College in England. Elden enjoyed reading, serving his fellow man, and spending time with his friends and former students. Love, faith, hope and incentive were Elden's motto throughout his life. Also surviving are one brother, Leland Ewalt of Knox City; seven nieces and nephews; and 22 great-nieces and great-nephews. SERVICES: A private graveside service will be at the Park View Memorial Gardens in Kirksville under the direction of the Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home in Edina with the Rev. Kenneth Green conducting. A memorial service will be at a later date in the United Methodist Church in Edina. VISITATION: There will be no visitation. MEMORIALS: Alzheimer's Association or the Edina United Methodist Church. ARRANGEMENTS: Hudson-Rimer Funeral Chapel in Edina.