John Francis Ewell, 92, of Bentonville, Virginia passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2019 at Hidden Springs.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 2 PM at Calvary Episcopal Church, 132 North Royal Ave, Front Royal, Virginia.

John Francis Ewell was born in 1926 in Greene County, Virginia. He was the fourth of six children born to Nathaniel McGregor Ewell and Mary Louise Camper Ewell. He was educated in the public schools of Charlottesville, Va. and graduated from Lane High School in 1943.

He matriculated at the Virginia Military Institute as a member of the class of 1947. Because of WWII, VMI classes went on an accelerated program and he graduated in March of 1946 with “academic distinction”. In April of 1946, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and went through basic training at Ft. Lee, Va. After serving a few months in Los Alamos, New Mexico he was accepted into the Officers Candidate School at Fort Benning, Ga. In the fall of 1946 he received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

After two months of further training at Fort Belvoir, Va. in the Corps of Engineers, he was assigned to duty with the Engineer School in Bavaria, Germany where he served a year before being released from active duty, taking a reserve commission.

He went to work with York Corporation Company in Atlanta, Ga. and then to York, Pa. where he was working when the Korean War broke out in July 1950. He was re-called to active duty at Fort Belvoir in December 1950, as a 2nd Lieutenant. After a year at Fort Belvoir (where he met Josephine Westbrook) he was ordered to Japan in November of 1951, to serve at the Engineer School. In the summer of 1952 he spent two weeks of temporary duty in Korea. He was returned to the U.S. and released from active duty the first of November 1952. He and Jo married shortly after his return.

He entered the George Washington Law School in January 1953 and graduated with his LL.B. law degree in May 1955.

He moved to Front Royal and opened his law office in July 1955. He was elected Commonwealth’s Attorney for Warren County and served two terms. He returned to private practice and in 1986 he was appointed to be Judge of the General District Court sitting in Page and Warren Counties. He retired as General District Judge in January 1994.

He was active in the Front Royal and Warren County community. He joined the Front Royal Jaycees and was its president in 1958, the first year the Warren County Fair was conducted at its present site.

He was an active member of Calvary Episcopal Church, and over the years has served on its vestry as a Junior Warden and Senior Warden. He participated in the activities of the Shenandoah Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

He was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Front Royal, a member and past commander of the John S. Mosby Sons of Confederate Veterans, a former member and past president of the South Warren Ruritan Club, a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, a member of the American Clan Gregor Society which was formed by his grandfather in 1909. He was a member of the Unity Masonic Lodge in Front Royal and a member of the Shrine of ACCA Temple.

He is survived by his wife, Josephine (Jo) Ewell, and three children; John F. Ewell, Jr. and wife Sharon; Douglas W. Ewell and wife Terry; Ellen Ewell Innes and husband Jeff. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Lauren Ewell Nelson, husband Matt and great grandchild Ben, and Thomas Ewell (both John, Jr); and Ashley Haines, husband Stephen, and great grandchild Landon (Douglas). He is also survived by two sisters, Jane Ewell Metz and Jessie Jerdone Ewell Mendez, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother. Dr. Nathaniel M. Ewell, Jr., and sisters Louise Camper Ewell Pugh and Helen Ewell McGehee.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Rotary Club of Front Royal and his Poker Club.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Calvary Episcopal Church, the Humane Society of Warren County, or a charity of your choice.

At the conclusion of the funeral service, a reception will be held in the Parish Hall.