2019 Winter Newsletter

Vera Louise Stockebrand Dakin , age 91 of Miami County, Kansas died on November 8, 2018 at Olathe Hospital. She was born on June 24, 1927 in Woodson County, outside of Yates Center, Kansas, the daughter of Robert E. Stockebrand and Vivian Stitcher. She received her Register Nursing degree from Saint Mary’s Hospital in Kansas City where she was the “little sister” of her future sister-in- law, Shirley. She was wed to John Dakin for nearly 69 years and they were long time members of the United Methodist Church of Drexel. She worked as a public health nurse for Cass County before raising a family. She resumed her career as a nurse working at Olathe Hospital and later Miami County Health Depart ment. Her most recent passion was genealogy and volunteered endless hours at the Miami County Historical Museum. She and John traveled to Scotland for their 50th anniversary and researched the Dakin family. Thomas Eugene Ewan, son of our museum’s presi dent, Colleen Ewan passed away. Thomas Eugene Ewan, age 62, of Paola, Kansas died January 21, 2019 at Olathe Hospice House. Tom was born February 19, 1956 in Olathe, Kansas to Wil liam and Colleen Ewan. He attended Olathe public schools and graduated from Olathe High School in 1974. He gradu ated from the University of Kansas in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in civil engineering. He was married to Pamela Joy Coate on December 30, 1978. Tom worked for his parents’ company, Paola Chrys ler Plymouth, on weekends while attending university. After graduation he began working for Boeing in Wichita, Kansas as a civil engineer until 1991. Tom was scheduled to be transferred to Seattle, but decided instead to move to Paola, Kansas and purchase his parents’ title insurance company, Landmark Title. He worked at Landmark with his wife until May of 2018 when they sold the company and retired due to illness. Over the years, Tom enjoyed many things such as being out doors, going boating, camping and fishing, and taking float trips with his dad, brother, son, and family friends. He also enjoyed gardening with his wife and traveling. He traveled

Vera Dakin, the grand old lady in our li brary passed away. Vera was the goto person in the genealogy section of the museum

Thomas Eugene Ewan

with his family to numerous states over the years and even visited places like Mexico, the Bahamas, St. Marten, and South Korea. Tom was preceded in death by his dad, William Ewan, and his grandparents, Floyd and Lula Ewan and George and Lela Metz. He is survived by his wife, Pam, of Paola, KS; his son and daughter-in-law, Dustin Ewan and Lana Hyeran Jo, of Olathe, KS; his mother Colleen, of Paola, KS; his sister, Su san Dunaway, of Huntington Beach, CA; his brother, Rob ert, of Olathe, KS; his sister-in-law and her husband, Do netta and Arlin Saville, of Olathe, KS and numerous nieces and nephews.

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