Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Connell, Wallace, Ewing
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/02/2017
Neillsville American Legion to Honor (Connell & Ewing - 2017)
Neillsville American Legion to Honor Connell and Ewing
Sandra Connell served in the U. S. Naval Reserve from 1984 until her honorable discharge in August 1995. She will be recognized for her military service during a program Monday, Aug. 7, at Neillsville American Legion Post 73. (Contributed photo)
By Todd Schmidt
Neillsville American Legion Post 73 will honor military veterans Sandra Connell and Harold “Pete” Ewing during its monthly recognition program Monday, Aug. 7. Social hour is scheduled at 4:30 p.m., with a potluck meal starting at 5:30 p.m. and the recognition program to follow.
Community members and Legion colleagues are cordially invited to attend.
Sandra (Wallace) Connell was born in Viola, WI at her grandmother’s house.
Connell lived in Richland Center and graduated from Richland Center High School in 1958. After graduation, she attended UW-Madison to study radiological technology. She graduated in 1960, and started working at the Highland Park Hospital in Highland Park, IL.
In 1961 she moved to Sarasota, FL, and then to Clearwater FL, working as an x-ray technician.
In 1976, Connell moved to Phoenix, AZ. In 1984, she joined the U.S. Naval Reserve as a corpsman with the rank of 2nd Class Petty Officer. She studied and did her active duty training in San Diego, CA. Connell made 1st Class Petty Officer, and worked as an x-ray technician.
In 1989, she attended three weeks of active duty training at an Air Force base in England.
In December 1990, while stationed in San Diego, and working at the U. S. Naval Hospital, Connell was called to active duty for medical support during Desert Storm. She worked as an x-ray technician, and, worked control at the front desk.
“This was a very busy place, where military, and family members reported to,” she said.
Connell received recognition for outstanding work at this assignment.
In 1992, she moved to Neillsville, and bought the Moonlite Restaurant, which she operated until 2003.
During this time, she did the reserve drill at Stevens Point. In June 1993, she did her reserved active training in a hospital field unit at Camp Pendleton, CA.
Connell was honorably discharged in August 1995. After closing the Moonlite, Sandra remodeled the restaurant for her spacious living quarters. She said she still has a little work to finish.
Connell also has a realtor’s license. Her hobbies include reading, taking care of her flowers and quilting.
She has two children, Cheryl and David, and has two grandchildren.
Pete Ewing served in the U. S. Army from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1964. He will be recognized for his military service during a program Monday, Aug. 7, at Neillsville American Legion Post 73. (Contributed photo)
Ewing was born in Neillsville. He attended the Neillsville School system until he was age 17. He worked at Urban’s Garage up to the age of 18.
In 1958, he joined the U. S. Army. Ewing received his basic training at Ft. Carson, CO. He was transferred to Ft. Huachuca, AZ, and assigned to the 17th Signal Battalion, where he worked as a switchboard operator.
In December of 1958, he was transferred to Karlsruhe, Germany, to the 16th Signal Corp. He attained a top security clearance, which enabled him to be a courier. With this position, he was able to travel to almost every city in Germany and part of France.
Ewing spent two years there. He studied and received his GED while in Germany.
The last part of his duty included training to become a military policeman, for the purpose of escorting American prisoners back to the U. S. aboard a ship.
Ewing was honorably discharged in 1964. He returned to Neillsville, and began working for Sammy Ball’s Garage.
“Ellis Stoll, and I lived in the now Tuft’s Museum all by ourselves,” he said.
Not having a lot of money, food was not plentiful. Stoll’s dad Bob Stoll bought the mansion and he and his wife lived down south, so the utilities were taken care of.
After that he was hired by Warren Medicke Plumbing as an apprentice. After three years, Pete became a journeyman, and five years later, he passed the exam and got his license as a master plumber. It happened to be on his birthday, Aug. 10, 1970.
At this time, he started his own business under the names of Ewing Plumbing and Ewing’s House of Plumbing.
Ewing had to give up his successful plumbing career and business in 1982 due to heart trouble.
He and his wife, Sue, then started H/S Liquidation, and had opened four stores.
In 1991, after a recovery in his health, he restarted Ewing Plumbing.
He retired in 2000, and his son Michael took over the business, which he continues to operate today.
One of Ewing’s favorite things to do over the years was rebuilding and maintaining the star on top of the Neillsville water tower. He continued this for 45 years through the Kiwanis Club and recently paid to replace the entire electrical system.
He and Sue were married in 1962. They have four children Julia, Dennis, Michael and Bradley. They have six grandchildren.
They travel to Panama City, FL, for the winter months. Ewing is recovering from another heart attack that occurred in April 2017. Ewing is a Legion member and has made donations to support it.
