Lewis "Lew" Miller Ewing
Lewis "Lew" Miller Ewing
Lewis M. “Lew” Ewing, 90, of Winchester, Virginia, died August 7, 2024, at Winchester Medical Center.
Lew was born May 8, 1934, in Stephens City, Virginia, son of the late James Earl Ewing, Sr. and Anna Virginia Golladay Ewing.
He graduated from James Wood High School in 1952. Shortly after graduating from high school, during the Korean War, he enlisted in the US Army and following basic training and helicopter training school was assigned to the 6th Helicopter Company in Chunchon, Republic of Korea. Following an 18-month tour in Korea, he reported to Fort Sill, Oklahoma assigned to the 45th Transportation Battalion where he completed his enlistment as a helicopter technical inspector and received an Honorable Discharge.
In 1959, he began his career in banking as a teller with the Shenandoah Valley National Bank in Winchester. He received promotions throughout the years and was serving as a Senior Vice President – Chief Operations Officer and Chief Financial Officer for SVNB when he resigned in 1983 to accept the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Clarke County in Berryville, Virginia. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1999 as President and CEO of the bank and the bank’s holding company, Eagle Financial Services, Inc. Lew continued serving the bank and holding company as Vice Chairman of the Boards of Directors until his retirement from the boards in 2010 after completing 51 years working in the banking industry. While employed at the bank, he served as Chairman and President of the Virginia Association of Community Banks and was a Member of the Services Committee of the Independent Community Bankers of America. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Bankers Association and The Virginia Bankers Bank.
Lew received an AAS Degree in Accounting from Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia and a BS Degree in Business Administration from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. He also was a graduate of The School for Bank Administration at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. He was an honors graduate from all three schools and in 1989 was named as the first recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award from Lord Fairfax Community College.
Lew devoted his adult life to voluntary service to his fellow man. He was a strong believer that it was important to give back to a community that provided so many opportunities for him. He was especially proud of his work with our young people. He coached Little League baseball for 20 years and coached a high school golf team and assisted with a high school baseball team. He was an adult leader in the Shenandoah Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America where he served on the Troop, District and Council levels as a Scoutmaster, District Chairman and District Commissioner and as the Council Vice President. He was recognized for his Scouting service in 1990 by being awarded the Council’s highest recognition, the Silver Beaver Award. He also served as a Board member for the Henry & William Evans Home for children and as Treasurer and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Grafton Home for Handicapped Children and was Chairman of the Foundation Board at the Dowell J. Howard Vocational School.
Lew was inducted into James Wood High School’s P. Wendell Dick Hall of Fame in 2007. He was an avid golfer and a very accomplished self-taught woodworker.
He was active in his church where he served as Treasurer, Finance Committee Chairman, Trustee and member of the Administrative Council. He was a co-founder and organizer of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association and served two terms as Commander of the Chapter. He also served on the Board of Directors of the National Korean War Veterans Association as its Secretary and as a Director. Additionally, he served as President and Treasurer of the James Wood Athletic Association (formerly the JWHS Touchdown Club), President of the Winchester Kiwanis Club, member of the Shenandoah University Presidents Advisory Council, Chairman of the Foundation Board at Lord Fairfax Community College, President of the Clarke County Chamber of Commerce, Board member of the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, Clarke County Ruritan Club, Clarke County Industrial Authority, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and served as Treasurer of the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was recognized as the Chapter’s Good Citizen of the Year and the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolutions Good Citizen of the Year in 2014.
He married Mary Jane Webber on May 1, 1955, at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Stephenson, Virginia.
Surviving with his wife is one son, Michael A. Ewing (Brenda) of Stephens City, Virginia and one daughter, Karen A. Ewing Heflin (John) of Stephens City, Virginia; a sister, Nancy Ewing Weller of Raleigh North Carolina; one brother Billy M. “Bill” Ewing (Jeanette) of Winchester, Virginia; five grandchildren, Jennifer A. Ewing Newman (Colin), Kyle W. Ewing, John Michael Heflin, Jacob R. Heflin (Katie) and Cara G. Heflin; and one great-grandson Henry Thomas Newman.
Two sisters, Clara V. Cook and Catherine L. Lovett plus two brothers James E. Ewing, Jr. and John M. Ewing, all predeceased him in death.
A funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the Omps Funeral Home – Amherst Chapel, Winchester, Virginia with Pastor Doug Rinker and Reverend Jack Keep officiating. Burial will follow in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia. Military honors will be provided by the VFW Post 21 Honor Guard team.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 to 12:00 prior to the service at the funeral home.
Round Hill Church will provide a meal following the graveside.
Pallbearers will be Kyle Ewing, John Michael Heflin, Jacob Heflin, Colin Newman, Doug Hall and Steve Reardon. Honorary Pallbearers will be the members of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter Korean War Veterans Association.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shenandoah Valley Chapter Korean War Veterans Association c/o Ray Ewing, Treasurer, 817 Chelsea Drive, Winchester, Virginia 22601, or Round Hill Church, 2993 Northwestern Pike, Winchester, Virginia 22603.