Ewing Wendell "E.W." Fritts

Ewing Wendell "E.W." Fritts, 90, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed away Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Parkview Heights Living Center in Garnett. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 30, 2021, at Hope Anthem Church, 520 E. 13th Street, Ottawa. Mr. Fritts will lie in state from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 29, 2021, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, Ottawa. Interment Highland Cemetery, Ottawa. Ewing was born Tuesday, April 29, 1930, at home north of Richter, Kansas. He was the last surviving sibling of 10 brothers and sisters born to John Wesley and Nellie Frances (Brown) Fritts. He was a lifelong Franklin County resident living in Ottawa since the early 1950’s. He attended Oakland School until the 8th grade. Ewing was employed with the Franklin County Road Department and Ward Manufacturing, Ottawa. He joined the Kansas National Guard on December 27, 1948, retiring May 12, 1985. As a requirement to keep his job, in 1971 he earned his GED. On Friday, April 11, 1952, Ewing married C. Joanne Wise in Ottawa, Kansas. They were happily married 60 years having two daughters, Wendy Jo and Lori Lea. Ewing was known for sitting in his lawn chair and waving at friends, drinking coffee at Daylight Donuts, and all the woodworking projects he completed. He loved supporting and attending the grandchildren’s activities including ball games and dance recitals. During patriotic holidays, Ewing always put American flags along his driveway and sidewalk to show support for the military. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Joanne on November 18, 2012; brothers, Clifford, Richard, Edsel, John Junior and Stanley; sisters, Ruby Rice, Gladys McIntire, Anita Belle Chambers and Alma Fritts. Sons-in-law, Douglas Wayne Dickinson on April 18, 1999, and Alan Dale Gentry on June 14, 2020. Survivors include two daughters, Wendy Dickinson and fiancé Rick Feuerborn, and Lori Gentry; granddaughter, Amy Dickinson; and grandsons, Ryan Dickinson (Holly), Luke Feuerborn (Jessica), Levi Feuerborn (Jordan), Lancer Feuerborn (Jenn). The light of Ewing’s life were his great grandkids, Tyden Douglas Dickinson, Wyatt Feuerborn, Dillon Feuerborn, William Feuerborn, Lily Feuerborn, Lainey Feuerborn, Benjamin Gochenour, Aubrey Jones, Kallie Feuerborn, Adelynn Feuerborn, Kamrie Feuerborn, and Karlie Feuerborn, and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to acknowledge and extend a huge thank you to Parkview Heights for the loving care and dedication they gave Ewing over the past few years. The family suggests memorial contributions to Post 60 Ottawa American Legion Baseball c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.