Ervin G. Waala III was born on July 9, 1946 in West Bend, Wisconsin to Ervin "Mickey" and Betty Lou Waala (Geib). He was a big brother to nine siblings. After graduating from West Bend High School in 1964, Erv served in the United States Navy from 1967-68. He married Susan Marx in December 1973 and had three daughters.
Fueled by his love of cars, Erv opened his own automotive shop, Waala, Wheel & Tire in Barton, Wisconsin and daydreamed of building his own hot rod. Erv's passion for modified sprint racing gave rise to his now infamous nickname "Swervin' Ervin." In his spare time, Erv also enjoyed trap shooting, fishing, and the Green Bay Packers. Erv loved spending time with his daughters, granddaughter, and two grandsons. He had a special place in his heart for his cat, Squeaky, who never left his side.
Erv was quick-witted and was always ready with a joke! If you were lucky, you earned a new nickname. Erv was also known for taking "selfies" with 35mm film cameras before it was cool.
Erv was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2016. He took the news in stride, never giving up hope or complaining about being ill. He fought the good fight until he was called home to be with the Lord on October 27, 2020. Erv will forever live on in the hearts of his family and friends who loved him.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. The Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, with more than $800 million in high-impact research funded to date.
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