Ervin McWilliams

Ervin David McWilliams was born February 10, 1930, in Salt Lake City, UT, the son of William and Ellen (Edwards) McWilliams. Ervin's family moved to Rock Springs, WY, where he graduated from high school.

Ervin enlisted in the United States Navy and served aboard the USS Valley Forge aircraft carrier. While serving in California, Ervin met Betty Michaelson. Following Erv's discharge from the Navy, he and Betty were married on June 27, 1953. Erv attended Ventura Junior College and New Mexico State University at Las Cruces where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. He worked at Monsanto in St. Louis, MO, for two years before taking a job in Rifle, CO, with Union Carbide. Two years later Erv moved his family to Hastings, MN, and began working for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. He continued with 3M for the next thirty years retiring in 1991.

During his career he was very active in the churches he belonged to. He taught Sunday school, served as the church bus driver and moderator, and was a deacon for many years. Erv loved the outdoors. Backpacking trips into the Wind River Mountains and fishing for trout was a rejuvenating experience for him. Erv also kept fit bicycling, swimming and running. He also taught himself to play the guitar.

Erv remodeled and winterized a cottage in Alexandria in his retirement. He was also a member of the Alexandria Golf Club in Alexandria where he could be spotted wearing a red shirt. Erv loved golfing and would golf in all kinds of weather. While Erv had some special golf partners that made his day brighter, he was not the kind of man to be choosy; skill level wasn't important to him. If a person wanted to golf and needed a partner, he was glad to golf with them.

Spending time with his children, their spouses and his grandchildren was special for Erv. And they loved spending time with him. Erv and Betty were just a few days from their sixty-fourth wedding anniversary when Erv died.

On Saturday, June 3, 2017, Ervin died at the age of eighty-seven years. He was preceded in death by his twin sister, Elva Ammons. Erv is survived by his wife, Betty McWilliams of Alexandria; children, Susan Fines and husband, Phillip, of Fredericksburg, VA; David McWilliams of Nampa, ID; Sandy McWilliams and husband, Paul Wilson, of Bloomington, MN; Linda Lewis of Fredericksburg; and Douglas McWilliams and wife, Yi Hong, of Fridley, MN; grandchildren, Sarah Craig, Melissa Moore, Emily Younts, David McWilliams, Ashley Carter, Katie Fines, John Wilson, and Neely Lewis; thirteen great-grandchildren; and brother-in-law, C.I. Ammons.

A funeral service will be held 11:00 A.M. Thursday, June 8, 2017 at Grace Church in Alexandria. Reverend Craig Dahl will officiate. Interment will be in the Kinkead Cemetery. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at church.