Elmer Wesley Ewald Jr.

Elmer Wesley Ewald, Jr., 99, of Lothian, MD, known to some as Samson and to his grandchildren as Pa, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2025, in Pasadena, MD surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.
He was born on May 23, 1926, in Arlington, VA to Elmer Wesley Ewald, Sr. and Jane Genther Ewald and was the third of three children – Jenny Ewald Tippins and Marion Ewald Sumner. After Jane died in 1929, Elmer Sr. married Mrytle Broyles and blended their families, blessing young Elmer with stepbrothers Bill, Paul, and Norman, with whom he would become very close.
On July 10, 1943, at age 17, he enlisted in the US Navy with his father's permission and was sent to the Pacific Theater, serving in the Philippines during World War II. Adept behind the wheel of all manner of vehicles, Elmer was assigned the job of coxswain on the LCVP Higgins boat carried on the USS LST-806, which earned two battle stars for WWII service. For his individual service, he received the Philippine Liberation Medal, Philippine Independence Medal, Philippine Defense Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Military Civic Action Medal, and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Badge.
After the end of the war, Elmer moved back in with his parents, to Deale, MD, where his father put him to work immediately for Otis Elevators as an apprentice. One weekend, at the Farmers' Picnic, in Chesapeake Beach, MD Elmer met Shirley Isabel King. The two hit it off immediately. They would marry on November 9, 1948, and go on to have five girls – Sharon, Joyce, Joy, Sandra, and Gail – and settled in Owings, MD.
At Otis, Elmer quickly moved up the ladder to an elevator mechanic. He and his father repaired the White House elevator and met President Truman, who was fond of chatting with the men as they went about their work. Elmer was a member of the construction team that installed elevators in the Guggenheim Museum, New York and maintained the Woodrow Wilson Bridge elevator. He would go on to work for several companies, retiring after roughly 43 years in the industry as manager at Atlantic States Elevator Company. On weekends, Elmer, as a Charter Boat Captain, ran fishing charters out of the Rod n' Reel. He retired in 1989 but remained an active member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local #10 for the rest of his life.
In retirement, from the early 2000s through 2015, Elmer drove cars that were being exchanged between car dealerships. He was sent up and down the East Coast and was particularly thrilled when he was asked – in his 80s – to drive a blue Corvette from Rhode Island to Bowie, Maryland. As in all his pursuits, he had Shirley by his side.
Elmer was a founding member of Grace Brethren Church, Owings, and assisted in the construction of one of the additions. He loved to golf and to fish. He loved the water and swimming. One thread that ran through his life was his love of driving: boats, cars, motorcycles, whatever. He taught a brother and a sister-in-law to drive. If someone needed to go anywhere, he'd offer to drive them. If they chose to drive themselves, he'd tell them the best way to get there.
Another thread that ran through his life was the love for Shirley, his wife of 76 years, and the large family they made.
Elmer trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior many years ago. He began his faithful service to the Lord and now is present in the presence of The King!
Elmer is survived by his wife Shirley; his daughters Sharon Shaffer (Joseph), Joyce Vanneman (Ray), Joy Schibblehut (Neil), Sandra Mister, and Gail Steinhoff (John).
He is also survived by his grandchildren: Neil Schibblehut, Jr (Amanda), Amanda Sparrow (Michael), Phillip Schibblehut (Pepper), Amy Gonzalez (Chris), Julie Rando (Rick), Michelle Vanneman, John Steinhoff II (Sarah), Jeremy Vanneman (Liz), Jennifer Mazzella (Michael), Stephanie Hickcox (John), Kristen Colyer (Kevin), and Daniel Steinhoff (Victoria) and several great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends on Friday June 20, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Rausch Funeral Home in Owings, Maryland, as well as Saturday June 21, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at Calvert Grace Community Church in Owings with a service at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Southern Memorial Gardens in Dunkirk, Maryland.