John B. Ewles
1934-2022
John B. Ewles, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend, left this world on Friday, February 18, 2022 after a long and valiant battle with Parkinson’s disease.
John was born on August 22, 1934 to Blaine and Ruth Sorensen Ewles in Salina, Utah. He was their first-born son and second of five children. John spent his early years in Salina, Koosharem and California moving around as his father looked for work to support the family. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 the family returned to Salina where John continued in school and graduated from North Sevier High with the class of 1952.
John loved growing up in Salina. His childhood was spent fishing, hunting and helping his father on the farm. He worked at the local market, the gas station and the Chevrolet dealership. John had a charismatic personality and was a friend to all.
During his senior year of high school, he met Lola Mary Newby at the bowling alley in Richfield and that began a romance lasting nearly 70 years. They began their life together on November 15, 1952. They became the parents of three sons, Larry, Steve and David.
During their early married life, they spent their time in Salt Lake City and Richfield, but eventually accepted the invitation from a cousin to move to California to look for work. On May 29, 1954, they packed up everything they owned in their 1941 Dodge and headed to California.
John found work at the Williams Tile Company in Bellflower. It paid $3.00 an hour which was big money in 1954! But the tile business was slow and he jobbed around until landing a position with the State of California in the materials lab in Los Angeles. This job changed his life and was the beginning of his lifelong career in the materials and highway construction business.
From this job, John went on to work for the County of Orange as a Senior Engineer then moving on to Construction Inspector for Orange County. After three years with Orange County, the City of Westminster offered him a full-time job as Inspector. Three years later, in November of 1963, he left that job to start his own construction company, John B. Ewles, Inc.
John’s company grew and prospered over the years. They did street construction and built roads all over Orange County and some areas in Los Angeles. In the early 70’s business was good and he decided to get out of the highway construction business and concentrate on concrete and asphalt recycling. This venture proved very successful with the birth of Ewles Materials.
Ewles Materials expanded throughout southern California with recycling centers in Stanton, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, and Murrieta, California. These recycling centers paved the way for John and his sons to excel in the recycling business and provide the way for many other business ventures. In 1972, John partnered with his brother Courtney in the construction of the Best Western Branding Iron Motel and Restaurant in Salina, Utah.
John had a great love of spending time in the outdoors. Utah deer hunting camps with his brothers and sons were a treasured family time, looked forward to year after year by all. He loved boating and spending time fishing. He had a love of aviation and was an accomplished pilot, flying his Twin Cessna N68708 with his son David as his co-pilot. John and Lola also loved traveling and experienced many exciting adventures.
John was always a family man. He had an unmatched dedication to his parents and family. He made sure that his parents were well taken care of and had what they needed. He loved his sons and their families. His grandchildren were the highlight of a life well lived. His brothers adored him and looked forward to his calls and visits. He was a favorite uncle to his nieces and nephews and was the life of the party wherever he went.
John is survived by his loving wife Lola, his three sons and their wives; Larry (Darlene) Ewles, of Murrieta, CA, Steve (Kelly) Ewles, of Dana Point, CA, and David (Jana), of Newport Beach, CA; nine grandchildren, Darla, Adam, Ericka, Kevin, Stephanie, Madeline, Parker, Jack and Jane. Four great grandchildren; Chelsie, Ellie, Tyler, and Benjamin. Brother; Courtney (Sherry) Ewles of Salina.
John is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Beverly Turner and Carol Woolsey and a brother, Lloyd Ewles.
Arrangements are under the care of Pacific View Mortuary and Memorial Park. Services are pending. Interment will be at the Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Delmar, California.
