Ervin Eilts: Memorial to "No One Special"
Ervin Eilts
By Jolene Edmonds
There are many examples of people who make a difference every day. This is a brief biography of one such man, who would have told you himself that he was “no one special.” Ervin Eilts was a child of the Great Depression. He knew that everyone had to work together to survive as he watched his oldest brother and sister quit school to work and support the family so the younger children could attend school. After graduating, at 17, Ervin moved to California to work for the Lend Lease program by building tail sections in a Douglass plane factory for shipments to Britain. After Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the South Pacific until his discharge after the war in 1946. Ervin would say that thousands of Americans stepped up during the war effort and he did "nothing special.”
Ervin packed up his medals and returned to Iowa to farm with his family. Like most WW II veterans he did not talk about the war or display his medals. Ervin came home and reentered life in America. Eventually, he married and purchased his own farm. It was not large and the house was far from fancy, but Ervin was drawn to the land. He saw food production for America and conservation of the land as important to the future strength and security of the nation. He and his wife, Mary, worked very hard to earn a living and pay taxes, but they always found time to volunteer in the community or at church. Most Americans then saw the opportunity to build a greater America together and Ervin wanted his family to be part of that process. Of course, he thought that every American should take responsibility for the nation – that was “nothing special.”
The couple had two children. As parents, Ervin and Mary emphasized work, faith, education, and service. The family worked hard, but always had time to debate political issues over dinner. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s topics ranged from Civil Rights to the Vietnam War. Ervin often disagreed with his daughters, but would always listen to their viewpoints. The first girl would grow to become a prominent physician. She has a practice, but also has done significant volunteer work, been involved in local and state monitoring of medical practices, and been actively involved in improving public health. As a young woman she faced gender barriers, but her parents always encouraged her to pursue her dreams. The second child, also a daughter, chose a more traditional career as a teacher. Still, the message was clear. As an American it was her duty to serve the community and support the nation. For this daughter that meant preparing the next generation to meet the challenges of the future. Ervin was proud of his children, but believed that the job of every parent was to raise citizens who would serve the community.
When he was 75 his first male heir, a great grandson, was born. At an age when many people were “taking it easy,” Ervin found a new purpose in life as a playmate and teacher for the boy. Their time together would create a deep bond and heavily influence the child’s future decisions. Through all of these years, Ervin continued to work, but, at age 80, he finally “retired.” He had begun to experience problems with his memory. The couple, like most of that generation, had worked hard to save for retirement and would use that money for his care. Ervin believed that, whenever possible, citizens should be self supporting. To him, that was “nothing special.”
Ervin Eilts passed recently. In fact, it has been reported that over 1,100 WW II veterans die each day. So again, this man, my father, would just say he was following the crowd. The truth is, he was “nothing special,” because he knew that it takes all of the millions of Americans working together throughout history to keep the nation morally, socially, and economically strong. Preserving the land, providing crops, paying taxes, participating in government, doing volunteer work, raising children to keep up those practices for future generations were all actions viewed as basic responsibilities for any American. I only hope that I can be remembered as living my life in the same “nothing special way” that characterized my father’s time. I miss you, Dad. This is written in memory of how special you were to us.
There are many examples of people who make a difference every day. This is a brief biography of one such man, who would have told you himself that he was “no one special.” Ervin Eilts was a child of the Great Depression. He knew that everyone had to work together to survive as he watched his oldest brother and sister quit school to work and support the family so the younger children could attend school. After graduating, at 17, Ervin moved to California to work for the Lend Lease program by building tail sections in a Douglass plane factory for shipments to Britain. After Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the South Pacific until his discharge after the war in 1946. Ervin would say that thousands of Americans stepped up during the war effort and he did "nothing special.”
Ervin packed up his medals and returned to Iowa to farm with his family. Like most WW II veterans he did not talk about the war or display his medals. Ervin came home and reentered life in America. Eventually, he married and purchased his own farm. It was not large and the house was far from fancy, but Ervin was drawn to the land. He saw food production for America and conservation of the land as important to the future strength and security of the nation. He and his wife, Mary, worked very hard to earn a living and pay taxes, but they always found time to volunteer in the community or at church. Most Americans then saw the opportunity to build a greater America together and Ervin wanted his family to be part of that process. Of course, he thought that every American should take responsibility for the nation – that was “nothing special.”
The couple had two children. As parents, Ervin and Mary emphasized work, faith, education, and service. The family worked hard, but always had time to debate political issues over dinner. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s topics ranged from Civil Rights to the Vietnam War. Ervin often disagreed with his daughters, but would always listen to their viewpoints. The first girl would grow to become a prominent physician. She has a practice, but also has done significant volunteer work, been involved in local and state monitoring of medical practices, and been actively involved in improving public health. As a young woman she faced gender barriers, but her parents always encouraged her to pursue her dreams. The second child, also a daughter, chose a more traditional career as a teacher. Still, the message was clear. As an American it was her duty to serve the community and support the nation. For this daughter that meant preparing the next generation to meet the challenges of the future. Ervin was proud of his children, but believed that the job of every parent was to raise citizens who would serve the community.
When he was 75 his first male heir, a great grandson, was born. At an age when many people were “taking it easy,” Ervin found a new purpose in life as a playmate and teacher for the boy. Their time together would create a deep bond and heavily influence the child’s future decisions. Through all of these years, Ervin continued to work, but, at age 80, he finally “retired.” He had begun to experience problems with his memory. The couple, like most of that generation, had worked hard to save for retirement and would use that money for his care. Ervin believed that, whenever possible, citizens should be self supporting. To him, that was “nothing special.”
Ervin Eilts passed recently. In fact, it has been reported that over 1,100 WW II veterans die each day. So again, this man, my father, would just say he was following the crowd. The truth is, he was “nothing special,” because he knew that it takes all of the millions of Americans working together throughout history to keep the nation morally, socially, and economically strong. Preserving the land, providing crops, paying taxes, participating in government, doing volunteer work, raising children to keep up those practices for future generations were all actions viewed as basic responsibilities for any American. I only hope that I can be remembered as living my life in the same “nothing special way” that characterized my father’s time. I miss you, Dad. This is written in memory of how special you were to us.
