Mareda Ewalt, a longtime kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Storm Lake, died in April. She and Merritt, according to Steve, will be buried in Mareda’s hometown of West Branch following a private family service.
A celebration of life for both Merritt and Mareda Ewalt will take place at a later date in Storm Lake.
Merritt Ewalt was a Korean War veteran, having served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps following his graduation from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. Following his military service, Ewalt attended graduate school at the University of Iowa before embarking on a teaching and coaching career at Mount Vernon High School.
In 1957, he made the trip to Storm Lake to join the ranks of a young coaching staff that, in short order, would feature John Naughton and Jay Beekmann, a trio that became synonymous with Beavers athletics.
“If there were a game or two my dad might list among his highlights, I think a 1962 basketball playoff game against Parsons College could come to mind,” Steve Ewalt says. “The game was played at the Armory on the Iowa State University campus and there were 3,800 fans in attendance. The Beavers won (86-75) and advanced to the national tournament. My dad always said the atmosphere was something else during that game.”
Another favorite tale involved a night in which Merritt Ewalt was locked out of a gymnasium in which his team was playing.
“Luther College had a fire or some sort of damage to its gymnasium on campus, so one year they had to play in a high school gym in Decorah,” Steve says. “My dad was always pretty vocal during games and he was upset about something and, as legend would have it, he walked to the end of the bench and pushed a door open beyond the baseline and stepped outside.”
The episode likely happened during halftime.
“Well, the door shut behind him and was locked,” Steve continues. “It forced my dad to have to walk around the school and come back in through the front entrance. They tried to charge him admission for a game in which he was coaching.”
Merritt Ewalt, a state champion pole vaulter at University High School in Iowa City, competed collegiately in track and field, and football. He was also an Eagle Scout, a proficient pheasant hunter, and a golfer who, on occasion, could shoot his age. He and Mareda, who attended St. Mark Lutheran Church in Storm Lake, raised two sons: Steve, of Storm Lake, and Darrell, who died in 2016. They are survived by Steve and his wife Wendy, daughter-in-law, Vicky, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The Ewalts are also survived by hundreds of former students who proudly wore the Navy & Gold of the Beavers.
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Where students dream, innovate, and build—taking concepts from state-of-the-art classrooms and labs to real-world applications throughout the U.S. and across the globe. Our commitment to Education for Service, Division III athletics, and experiential learning opportunities provide students with skills sought by employers and community leaders. With an average scholarship of more than 50 percent off tuition, BVU represents an affordable option for all. Our campus on the shores of beautiful Storm Lake hosts students in a variety of in-demand majors, while 15 community college partners across Iowa—as well as graduate programs—expand student potential through a variety of convenient online and hybrid programs. Visit bvu.edu for more.
