December 25, 1933 – February 1, 2025
In the end, he was just a guy. He loved his family and friends. He loved the outdoors. He accepted what God did and went on.
John Edward Ernest was born in Long Beach, California on December 25, 1933 and died in Seattle on February 1, 2025. His parents were Edward William Ernest and Margaret Elizabeth Bell. Most of his life was spent in Seattle, that is where he married and raised his family. He was a graduate of the UW and attended St. John’s elementary school, O’Dea High School and Seattle University.
He met his wife, Margaret Willett, in October of 1960 and they married on September 16, 1961. They raised two sons, Doug and Tom.
John had a fine mind. He loved history and researched his family in various places in this country and Europe. He assisted his wife in her research which took them all over the United States. He was an accomplished genealogist and a long time member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). He served as SAR genealogist for both the Seattle SAR Chapter and the state SAR organization. He was active in growing the state organization: he assisted in developing four new SAR chapters. He published several articles in various genealogical periodicals on the results of his research. He was an accomplished bridge player.
John was active in his parish church, St. Bridget’s in Seattle. He was an usher for many years and supported many Parish activities, even chaperoning the teen-age dances. He was a founding member of the Knights of Columbus chapter at St. Bridget’s. He was a fourth-degree member of the Knights.
He sang in the Parish choir for several years. He supported his wife Margaret in her parish activities. He supported outreach activities to Ronald McDonald House, driving meals to them. He, his wife and other members of St. Bridget’s worked with Sacred Heart Shelter.
John volunteered at the National Archives in Seattle for over 15 years, assisting visitors with their research. He was particularly helpful to those researching their native American roots. He himself was 1/8 Cherokee and Crow Indian through his father. He published several articles and books on those native Americans who were resettled in Oklahoma after being removed at various times from various locations in the United States.
John’s mother was adopted, and he was able to identify her parents over a long period of years. He published several articles in various genealogical periodicals on topic as well.
He was an avid horticulturist. The Ernest family turned the landscaping at their Seattle home into a bird and bee friendly environment. The family purchased a 3+ acre parcel of land on Vashon Island in 1978. Over the years, they built a second home there and and established an orchard of fruit trees and bushes. He was a member of the Vashon bee cooperative and for many years brought colonies of bees to his orchard. The bees pollinated the orchard and multiplied, part of the effort to reverse the decline of the bee population in our state.
John leaves behind his wife Margaret, his nieces, Kimberly Atkins, Elizabeth Ehlin, Deborah Vriens, nephew Michael Ernest and several grandnieces and nephews He was preceded in death by his sons Doug and Tom, his brother and wife Frank and Rema Ernest, and his sister-in-law and husband, Janet and Jerry Vriens and two of their children.
John’s burial Mass will be on February 15, 2025 at 11 AM at St. Bridget’s Church in Seattle, burial to follow at Holyrood Cemetery.
The post first appeared on Barton Family Funeral Service.