Marie Augusta (Plumer) Ewing (1915-2012)

Source: Joyce (Hansen) George

Marie Augusta Ewing

Marie Augusta (Plumer) Ewing, age 96, of Wayne, Neb., passed away on Sunday, March 18, 2012, at Oaks Retirement Center in Wayne, Neb.

Marie was born June 21, 1915, to Charles and Augusta (Turk) Plumer on the family homestead farm between Council Bluffs and Glenwood, Iowa, purchased in 1851 by her great grandfather with a federal patent for $1.25/acre. 'Plumer Settlement' farm has remained in her family, the oldest homestead in Mills County, Iowa. She was confirmed in 1927 at Salem Lutheran Church, Plumer Settlement, a historic landmark built in 1867. Marie cherished her family and pioneer heritage her entire life.

Marie attended country school through eighth grade, but graduated as salutatorian in 1932 from Glenwood High School. In 1939, Marie graduated with a BS Degree in Education from the University of Nebraska and began her career as a business teacher in Nebraska, first in Oakland, Taylor, and finally, Hartington, where she met her future husband, David H. Ewing. On February 6, 1943, she and Dave, by then a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton, married in a private ceremony in San Diego, Calif. She worked for the County Coroner until Dave was deployed to Iwo Jima and Japan, returning to the Plumer farm until Dave returned from WW II on Christmas Eve 1945.

She was a homemaker for many years, before working full-time with Dave at Midwest Land Company. Marie and Dave were inseparable until his death in 2003. Marie was blessed to live independently in her home until just four months before her death at age 96. She was an intelligent, strong-willed, fiercely independent woman.

She was preceded in death by husband, Dave Sr., and her five siblings, Charles Plumer, Pauline Carter, Luella Nevin, and twin brothers Albert and Alfred Plumer.

Survivors include son, David Ewing (Donna), daughter, Patricia Arneson (Marion), all of Wayne; grandchildren, Lisa (Dana) Caudle, Mary (Brent) Osborn, Kristin Ewing, Erin Arneson, Alex Arneson; great grandchildren, Sabrina Osborn, Zehn Arneson; sisters-in-law, Edna (Alfred) Plumer, Caroline (Albert) Plumer and devoted nieces and nephews, family and friends.

Visitation will be on Thursday, March 22, 2012, from 5 to 8 p.m. with family present at Hasemann Funeral Home in Wayne. Services will be held on Friday, March 23, 2012, 11 a.m., at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne. Interment following services at Plumer Settlement Church and Cemetery in rural Mills County, Iowa, at 3:30 p.m. Memorials may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church Foundation or Salem Lutheran Church and Cemetery.