William H. Ewens

1922 - 2024

William H. Ewens

Longtime Ely Lake resident Bill Ewens died peacefully in his sleep on July 19 at age 102 after a month-long stay at the Virginia Hospital and Waterview Pines rehab unit. He had been battling congestive heart failure and other ailments, but bravely crossed the finish line living out his motto, "damn the torpedos, full speed ahead."

William H. Ewens was born in Virginia on January 3, 1922 to Dr. Harry B. and Marguerite (Simpson) Ewens. He graduated from Virginia High School in 1940, excelled in golf, and was a top-notch backstroker and captain of the Virginia swimming team. He was a student at the University of Minnesota for one year before enlisting in the Army Air Corps Reserve in 1942. During his four years in the service he became a pilot, then went to radio school before his assignment as a radio operator on a B-29 based in Guam. He was honorably discharged in March 1946 and then returned to college, graduating from UMD in March 1950 with a mathematics major and chemistry minor.

In April 1950 Bill married Kathryn Ely of Eveleth. In the fall they moved to Boulder where he did graduate work in education at the University of Colorado. After a year teaching at the high school level in Fulda, Minnesota, he signed on with U.S. Steel in 1953 and relocated his family to Grand Rapids. He started in Coleraine as a lab supervisor and then moved to the industrial engineering department. In 1962 he moved his family to Crown Point, Indiana following his transfer to Gary Steel Works, where he worked as a metallurgist until his retirement in 1983. In 1985 he and Kathryn returned to Minnesota, taking up residence at her mother's Ely Lake cabin.

Bill was a member of the U. of M. Delta Tau Delta fraternity and Minnesota "M" Club, the Engineers Club of Northern Minnesota, Eshquaguma Country Club, and Hope Community Presbyterian Church where he sang in the choir for 40 years. He was a big fan and student of classical music. When he couldn't identify a piece playing on the radio, he'd often play "guess the composer" with his family. He played the piano his whole life and would memorably field requests from his kids at bedtime for dreamy pieces such as "Liebesträume" or "Clair de Lune." In recent years, he played piano duets with his close friends at church and at Edgewood Vista. He began singing solos at church in his nineties.

Bill loved his weekly coffee and breakfast friends at the Village Inn and Kunnari's and could be instantly identified by his unmistakable, wall-shaking laugh. He was a favorite at local businesses and medical facilities. For him, going to the ER was first and foremost a social call. Many a waitress taking his order fell victim to his serenading skills, frequently ending up with a quirky nickname: Milee became Smiley; Cindy turned into Cinderella.

Bill was okay as long as he was captain of his ship. He golfed until age 95, and was still gardening (and driving) at age 101. His 100th birthday at the Virginia Elks club was a gala event that put him on the front page of the Mesabi Tribune and got him a mention on Duluth TV news. Something of a "lone gun" in his early and middle years, he came to depend much more on his interaction with others as the years went by. He would love to have been able to say goodbye to those who meant so much to him and those who supported him to the last.

William is survived by his children, John Ely of Eveleth, Robert (Robyn) Ewens of Richmond, Virginia, and Jane (Mac) McFarland of Rockland, Maine, four grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Kathryn.

Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, August 10 at Hope Community Presbyterian Church in Virginia with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at the Eveleth Cemetery, followed by lunch and fellowship back at Hope church. Arrangements are with the Landmark Funeral Home in Virginia.