Ewald Moerer

Ewald Moerer, age 96, of Wheaton, Minnesota passed away Sunday, August 14, 2016 at Sanford Wheaton Hospital.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Michael Breach officiating. Organist will be Sara Lee Rinke.

Interment will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Dumont, Minnesota. Pallbearers will be Ewald's grandchildren. Military Rites will be provided by the Merton Dale American Legion Post #80.

Visitation will be held Thursday morning, one hour prior to service time at the church.

Ewald Ludwig Moerer was born to Arthur and Mary (Gerfen) Moerer on June 1, 1920, on the family farm 3 ½ miles southeast of Dumont, Minnesota. Ewald started his education in the public school in Dumont for the first three years, and then finished his education at District 43 Public School in Croke Township where a new school had just been built.

He helped with the work on the family farm until his middle and later teens, and in his early twenties he worked for various farmers in the area. Since there were six boys and two girls in the family he wasn't as needed at home.

Ewald enlisted in the United States Navy in February of 1942 and was called to active duty in March of the same year. He trained at Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago, Illinois. He was assigned to a ship in August of 1942 and served on four different ships until December of 1944 when he was transferred to the west coast. He finally went to the Navy Air Station at San Diego, California where he served on a target boat until the war's end. He was honorably discharged on October 5, 1945.

Ewald married Phyllis Nelson from upstate New York on March 12, 1945. The couple moved to Jamestown, New York where Ewald worked in a furniture hardware factory. On February 9, 1946 their son David was born. In March of 1946 the couple left Jamestown to go farming in the Dumont, Minnesota area. Their second son Darrel was born and daughters Deby and Dona followed. Phyllis passed away November 5, 1958.

On January 6, 1962 Ewald married Shirley Vesterby Peterson. Shirley had a son Kevin whom Ewald adopted. Shirley adopted Ewald's four children as well.

Ewald enjoyed spending time with family and working the land of the family farm. His hobby was collecting, restoring and customizing farm toys.

Ewald is survived by his wife Shirley of Wheaton; sons: David (Diane) of Meridian, Idaho; Darrel (DeeDee) of Wheaton; and Kevin (Joan) of Bonney Lake, Washington; daughters: Deby (Rod) Byholm of Monticello, Minnesota; and Dona (Ben) Schepens of Valley Cottage, New York; eight granddaughters and one grandson; eight great-grandchildren; three brothers and two sisters.

Ewald was preceded in death by his first wife, parents, grandson Dieter and two brothers.