Fred Edward Ewers Sr.

Stephenville Fred "PawPaw" Ewers, Sr., 86, a lifelong Erath County resident passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Friday, November 19, 2010 in the Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel with Harry Brown and Werth Mayes officiating. Burial with Military honors will follow at Chalk Mountain Cemetery in Somervell County. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm Thursday at the funeral home. Fred was born on November 23, 1923 in Johnsville to the late Mac and Nora Syer Ewers. He married Ruth Townsend on November 16, 1944 in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She preceded him in death on May 16, 1991. After Ruth passed away, he married Marilyn Giesecke Mills on July 8, 1994 in Stephenville who provided an Angel's care for him throughout his long illness. Fred was a member of Johnsville Church of Christ. After graduating from Stephenville High School in 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy. Great pride was always shown in his service to his country. While serving on the aircraft carrier, the USS Guadalcanal, he was awarded several medals for his role capturing the German submarine U505, which carried the Enigma machine. This capture helped win WWII and contributed to the making of the movie U571. Fred is survived by his wife Marilyn; a son Fred, Jr. and wife Phyllis; daughters, Debbie Everett and husband Duke and Peggy Stephens and husband Mike; nine grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren; step-family Jerry Mills and wife LaVerne; Kenneth Mills and wife Donna; Linda Mills Fulton and husband Charlie; Jay Mills and wife Debbie of Stephenville; Leslie Mills and wife Kay of Graford, and Randy Mills and wife Sharon of Hamilton; seventeen grandchildren; thirty two great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren; also a sister-in-law, nieces and nephews of West Virginia. He was also preceded in death by his two brothers, Charlie and Walter Ewers. Memorials may be made to the Sherwood & Myrtie Foster's Home for Children.