Edmund "Ed" Richard Ewoldt, age 97, of Wheaton, Illinois, passed away on December 14, 2025, in Wheaton. He was born on February 9, 1928, in Wall Lake, Iowa.

Ed graduated from Wall Lake High School in Iowa with the Class of 1945 and immediately joined the United States Navy during World War II. The war ended while he was in Boot camp, but he continued to serve during post war and Korean War aboard the USS *Frank Knox* (DDR-742). He remained deeply connected to his fellow sailors as a member of the Tin Can Sailors and the USS *Frank Knox* Association, and he was a lifetime member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. After his Navy service Ed went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) in 1954.

Ed began his teaching career in Maynard, Iowa, where he taught from 1955 to 1958. In 1959, he moved to Wheaton, Illinois, with his beloved wife Nancy Ewoldt to raise a family and teach. Ed devoted 29 years to Wheaton Central High School as a teacher, coach, and leader until his retirement in 1988. He taught biology, ecology, and life science, and coached many Tigers in wrestling as well as football, soccer, baseball, and softball. From 1973 to 1983, he served as Athletic Director.

Ed's impact on high school wrestling in Illinois and beyond was extraordinary. His Tigers achieved conference championships in the Interim Conference in 1963 and the Upstate Eight Conference in 1965 and 1966. In 1966 his team finished second in the state of Illinois. He was inducted into the Illinois State Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame in 1975. For his dedication to Tiger Wrestling, the Wheaton Central Invitational Wrestling Tournament was renamed the "Ed Ewoldt Invitational" and later in 1999 the wrestling gym at Wheaton Warrenville South High School was named after him.

Beyond Wheaton, his leadership in wrestling extended nationally and internationally, serving as Team Leader for the Illinois Wrestling Federation to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania in 1979, and to the Junior Nationals from 1979 to 1992. He led teams to China in 1985 and to Austria and Germany in 1987. Among his many honors he was a Grand Marshal at the IHSA State finals in 1984, Received a Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2000 from USA Wrestling and the IWCOA.  Ed was considered by all as the official Illinois State High School Wrestling Historian.

Although he had lived in Wheaton for over 65 years, Ed had maintained close connections to his hometown of Wall Lake Iowa and often boasted how wonderful it was to grow up there.

Ed was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 45 years, Nancy Ewoldt; his mother Clara Ewoldt; his daughter, Karen Kruse; his son, Kurt Ewoldt; and his grandchildren, Ryan and Katarina.

He is survived by his sons, Eric (Valerie) Ewoldt and Steven (Beth) Ewoldt, daughter in-law Kriston Ewoldt, Son in-law Jim Kruse and his grandchildren, Zachary (Katie) Ewoldt, Jourdan (Yoseph Dance) Ewoldt, Hannah Ewoldt, Corie Ewoldt, Tyler Ewoldt, Matt Kruse, Lucas Kruse, and Megan Kruse Luckett.

Visitation will be held at Hultgren Funeral Home on Sunday, December 28, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Monday, December 29, 2025, friends and family are invited to visit with the family at Gary United Methodist Church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of funeral service at 10:30am. Burial will follow at Wheaton Cemetery in Wheaton, Illinois.

Ed Ewoldt will be remembered as a devoted father, grandfather, educator, legendary coach, proud veteran, and mentor whose influence shaped generations of students and athletes.