Winston Ewing, age 87, of Springfield, MO, passed away Monday, March 26, 2012. He was born in Morrisville, MO, December 25, 1924, to the late Dr. Arthur Winston Ewing, Sr. and Emma May (Briley) Ewing. He was a devoted husband, father and citizen. During his retirement years he enjoyed cooking and gardening.
Winston graduated from Marion C. Early High School in 1943. He was a World War II veteran serving from 1943 thru 1946. He completed his college cadet work at Washington State, gunnery school, with Gunner’s Wings in B-17’s at Vegas. He spent two winters at Ladd Field in Fairbanks, Alaska, doing armament work on P-38, P-47, P-51 and P-61 airplanes.
Winston earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1949 from the University of Missouri and his Masters in Animal Husbandry from MU in 1969. He was a member of the Missouri Extension Service for 25 years, working in Adair, Knox, Howell, Shannon, Texas and Oregon counties. He did regular radio programs, weekly news columns, hosted a television show in Northeast Missouri, and wrote several promotional brochures for livestock groups. He was the first president of the Polk County Farm Bureau, served as secretary-treasurer for two Missouri State Livestock Associations, was active in the operation of the National Feeder Pig Show, and taught classes at SMSU in West Plains. He showed cattle in fairs from Wisconsin to Texas and Arizona to Maryland. He also farmed in Polk County for four years.
Winston married his loving wife of over 51 years, Alice Joan (Pursley) June 19, 1960. They moved to West Plains in 1967 and then to Springfield in 1994. He was a life-long member of the Methodist Church. He served as a lay minister of several rural churches for over six years and taught adult Sunday School classes for 30 years. He served as a member of the West Plains School Board for eight years.
Winston is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, two sons , Michael Ewing of Springfield, Jon Ewing and his wife, Coyeatte, of Springfield, two grandchildren, Erica and Briley of Springfield, his brother, Morris Ewing of Tucson, Arizona, two nieces, Karen Ewing of Lenexa, Kansas and Julie Ewing-Christensen of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, and a first cousin, Joe Ewing, of Stockton, Missouri. The family would like to thank Mercy Villa Nursing Home for his care, especially chaplains Doug and Ann.
Visitation will be Tuesday evening, April 3, from 6:00-8:00 PM, at Greenlawn Funeral Home South, and graveside services will be conducted Wednesday, April 4, 10:00 AM, at the Morrisville Cemetery in Morrisville, Missouri.