Dr. Dana Ewles

Dr. Dana Ewles of Clinton Township, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly on March 14, 2015. He was born on January 10, 1947, in Hillsdale, Michigan, to the late Irvine and Florentine Ewles. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Ewles, on September 7, 1968.

Dr. Ewles is survived by Carolyn, his son and daughter-in-law, Ryan and Melissa Ewles (Clinton Township, Michigan), his daughter and son-in-law, Loren and Chad Braswell (Jacksonville, Florida), and his daughter and son-in-law, Erin and Michael Lufkin (Jacksonville, Florida). He is also survived by five grandchildren, Henry and Lyla Ewles, Chase and Finley Braswell, and Jude Lukfin. Dr. Ewles is also survived by four older siblings, as well as his sister-in law, Joanne Weaver.

Dr. Ewles was a pediatrician who served the community for more than thirty-five years before retiring in 2009 to spend time with his wife and family. He loved his family and was actively involved in his church. He was passionate about sports and particularly Michigan football.

A viewing will be held at Resurrection Funeral Home in Clinton Township, Michigan on Thursday, March 19th, from 2 to 8pm. A funeral service will be held on Friday, March 20th at Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan, at 11am. Dr. Ewles will lie in state beginning at 10:30am.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to New Day Foundation For Families, P.O. Box 81252, Rochester, MI 48308, would be appreciated.

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Dr. Dana Ewles. He was a warm hearted and well liked individual, and these wonderful traits came easily to him because he was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around him had whatever they needed. Dana was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what he meant.

He was the son of Irvine and Florenthe Ewles. Dana was raised in Garden City, Michigan, from age of 8. During his childhood he learned to be reliable and respectful. Dana was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. He found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Dana's personality throughout his life.

Though Dana was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with his family, he was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. Dana was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. In fact, Dana worked conscientiously to keep those typical family spats at bay. Dana was raised with 4 siblings, Howard, Daryl, Janice and Patricia. Dana and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of his experiences, Dana was always enthusiastic about new adventures. Although he had an exacting nature, Dana was always tactful. One thing Dana will certainly be remembered for is that, when he got up in the mornings, he was ready and raring to go. As a young boy, Dana had a number of interests and was an active child. Dana took part in baseball and football and basketball. In his spare time he liked to play sports with neighborhood friends. Dana's memorable achievements included.

For Dana, the school routines were never a problem although he generally preferred variety to structure. He seemed to be able to start a project and work right through to its completion. And he was able to do it quickly and efficiently. Dana was also adept at details. Dana was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. He graduated from Garden City High School in 1965. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was biology. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Mr. Reimer & Mrs. Cathy. He was awarded the Willie Heston Award, a scholar-athlete award and a scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt University.

College can be a challenge, but Dana appeared to be well equipped to succeed. He had a knack for staying focused and on track no matter what was going on around his. Dana had the ability to work undisturbed through all of the constant interruptions that are a regular part of college life. Dana enjoyed using the skills he'd already learned and applying them to new courses. He knew the facts and rarely made factual errors. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State University. He also pursued graduate school, earning his doctorate degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. His favorite courses were the biological sciences. He enjoyed working in clinics with children of underprivileged families.

There was one thing that all of Dana's friends knew and will still remember, and that is that he was a talker. He could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Dana was such a popular person throughout his life. But Dana was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Dana was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While he maintained personal standards and his own personal values, Dana was very accepting of others. With a distinct skill for working things out, Dana was often the person who would organize events. In fact, Dana was fairly comfortable playing the role of “host” for just about any occasion. When Dana made friends, he made true and lasting friendships. While growing up, some of his best friends were Rod Hodgson and Ricky Lee. Later in life, he became friends with all the guys on his high school football team, and his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Mason.

Dana was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call his sentimental and a romantic at heart. His kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around his. Dana cared for what others thought and carried that into his marriage. On September 7, 1968 Dana married Carolyn Mason at New Hope Baptist Church. Of Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Compassionate and devoted, Dana worked hard to make his new life partner happy.

Harmony was important to Dana and he made every effort to maintain it with his family. Dana was blessed with Three children, one son, Ryan. Two daughters, Loren and Erin. They were also blessed with Five, Henry, Chase, Lyla, Finley, Jude. Dana was always conscious of the feelings others had. He was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Dana was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. His secret of success in this area was simple: Dana would listen before he would act.

Taking his work seriously came naturally to Dana, and he expected the same from those around him. Dana was a good team player, someone who was born to cooperate with others. He was what some would call a “people person” and it was demonstrated in his good communication skills. Dana was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Dana handled well. He could understand the details without getting lost in the broad “big picture.” His primary occupation was Pediatrician. He was in private practice for 25 years and on the St. John Pediatric Staff for 13 years. He brought harmony to his work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for his colleagues.

A methodical man, Dana enjoyed spending time working on his various hobbies. He had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that he could have something to show for his efforts. His favorite pursuits were following University of Michigan football, working in the yard, but primarily spending time with his grandchildren.

Dana was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth his best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. Dana was always enthusiastic and a great team player. In high school, Dana played football, baseball, and basketball. In his college years, Dana continued to stay active by played football at Vanderbilt University during his freshman year. Recreational sports included golfing. Dana also liked being a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were college football and the Detroit Tigers.

His keen interest in things that affected the lives of other people led Dana to become actively involved in professional and community organizations. Because he was outgoing and worked well with others, Dana did his fair share of volunteer work. And he wouldn't’t shy away from taking the lead on committees or events, either. He was a born list maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules. In high school, Dana was a member of the Varsity Club, Student Government.

Dana was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. He was appreciated and respected. He could find value in the opinions of others and was passionate about his own values and beliefs. So it’s little wonder that he was active and highly valued by those in his community, serving on committees for the Chippewa Valley Schools, Little League.

His high moral standards and traditional values served Dana well with his faith. Religion and faith were important to him. He was a member Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church. During that time, he taught the Young Adults Sunday School class. He was well respected because he was such an outgoing individual who sought to help in any manner he could.

A generous and compassionate man, Dana accomplished much during his lifetime. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Dana was recognized and given awards for his many and varied efforts throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included the Willie Heston Award for Scholar-athlete.

Not only did Dana enjoy traveling, but he also seemed to enjoy planning all of those trips and vacations. He was a facilitator who could easily make up a near perfect schedule of all of the things to do and see. He rarely tired of going back and revisiting his favorite places. Favorite vacations included 2 month-long trips out West with his entire family. Spending 2-3 months in Jacksonville, FL with his daughters' families.

Dana was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of his favorites was Sally, a yellow Lab, who was a best friend for 8 years. His family was rounded out by Patches, a Boston Terrier for 12 years.

Since it was easy for Dana to meet and get to know new people, he quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once he met those new friends, he loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. Since he was practical and cost effective, Dana was ready when that day to retire finally came in 2007. His new life involved 2-3 months in Jacksonville, FL to be near family. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golfing with men from church. Even in retirement, Dana stayed in touch with his old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities that retirement offered him.

Dana passed away on March 14, 2015 in Jacksonville, FL, while wintering there. Very sudden due to a cerebral aneurysm. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, his children Ryan & Melissa, Loren & Chad, and Erin & Mike, plus 5 beautiful grandchildren. Services were held at Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church in Warren, Michigan. Dana was laid to rest in Cadillac Memorial Gardens East in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Dana was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever he said something, he meant it. Dana was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. He was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. He was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember him for most is the fact that he was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life he touched will miss Dr. Dana Ewles.