Roger L. Ewing

Roger was born on October 5, 1927 to Alonzo Byron and Sally Winsby Ewing in their home at 703 North Third Street, Lawrence, KS, the last of five children. He graduated from Lawrence Memorial High School in 1945, drafted into the U.S. Army in 1946 with stateside duty as a “sole surviving son” and discharged in 1947. At that time, he married Margaret Fesler in Sedan, KS. That 30-year union produced four children.

Roger graduated from the University of Kansas in 1950. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta social fraternity and Beta Sigma Phi honorary business fraternity. Upon graduation he was employed by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) in Kansas City, MO. Like his dad, Roger held CPA certificates in Kansas and Missouri. In 1955 he went into business with his father at Slater Tile & Mantel Co. (later called The Home of Tile, Inc.). They remained together until his father’s death in 1971, and 15 years later Roger closed that business.

In 1981 Roger married Clarice Innes of Warrensburg, MO. and added two additional sons to his family. Roger was a devout and enthusiastic Episcopalian having served on several vestries over the years, as Treasurer of the Diocese of West MO for 16 years, and as a Deputy to six National Church Conventions. He served on the Board of Directors of St. Luke’s Hospital for 17 years, resigning in 1986 to become President of St. Luke’s Health Ventures, Inc., the for-profit subsidiary of St. Luke’s Hospital, which subsequently produced the Medical Plaza III office building and brought Mid-America Rehabilitation Hospital to the metropolitan Kansas City area. Roger retired from that position at the end of 1993. From their farm home near Warrensburg, Roger taught accounting classes for Park University at Whiteman AFB and in 1995 joined Powell Gardens, Inc. as their Fiscal Manager until 2000. At that time Roger began taking classes at the University of Central Missouri, entering the Art School and taking up painting at the age of 74. It became one of the great joys of his life. For 60 years Roger was an active and proud member of The Kansas City Breakfast Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Allen Roderick Ewing, killed in the Battle of the Bulge during WWII; sisters, Blossom Ewing Randall, Mildred Ewing Frakes and Barbara Ewing Crews; and his nephew, Roger Michael Randall.

Roger is survived by his wife, Clarice, of 39 years; and his six children Craig, Cynthia (David Winkelman), Kent (Mary), Bart (Virginia), Scott Innes, and Matthew (Patricia) Innes; eleven grandchildren Eric Ewing, Ryan Ewing, Scottie Ewing, Jackie Ewing, Ian Ewing, Hannah Ewing, Alex Winkelman, Isaiah Innes, Shelby Innes, Colin Innes and Claire Innes; two great grandchildren Walter Ewing and Ivy Ewing.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for 11:00am, Saturday, October 17th at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 14301 South Black Bob Road, Olathe, Kansas, 66062. This will be livestreamed by the church: https://www.facebook.com/staidansepiscopalchurcholatheks (click on the link below).

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorial contributions to St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church.