Wallace J Ernst

Wallace “Wally” Ernst, age 95, of New Hampton, IA passed away on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at Covenant Hospital in Waterloo, IA with his family by his side. Funeral Services for Wally will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Kevin Frey officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 PM on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church and will continue at the church one hour prior to the funeral service Wednesday. Honorary casket bearers will be Angelia Kelly, Michelle Vincent, Lisa Sage, Melanie Mastin, Kristin Stanford, Elizabeth Zondo, Jacquelyn Ernst and Emily Ernst. Ryan Andreessen, Scott LaRue, Andrew Jenkins-Antonuccio, Michael Jenkins, Kirk Nosbisch and Sam Nosbisch will be serving as active casket bearers. Burial will be at New Oregon Cemetery in Cresco following lunch. Arrangements are being handled with Conway-Markham Funeral Home in New Hampton. Online condolences for Wallace’s family may be left at www.conway-markhamfh.com. Memorials may be directed to the family. Wallace “Wally” and his dear twin brother, Wayne, were born on December 19, 1922 to Charles and Helena (Bergmann) Ernst in rural Winneshiek County. Wally was baptized, confirmed and educated in Howard and Winneshiek Counties. On December 10, 1944, Wally was united in marriage to Darlene Olson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. After their marriage, Wally and Darlene farmed together for eight years before he began his career at Rath Packing in Waterloo. The couple then moved to Washburn, IA and lived there from 1953-1967. In 1967, Wally and Darlene made their home in New Hampton and have lived there since. Wally retired from Rath Packing in 1984. Wally was a man filled with faith, hope and love; an eternal optimist. He taught his family that life’s comebacks can be stronger than life’s setbacks. He loved nature and taught his family to care for animals and the land – a love passed on to his children and grandchildren. Wally taught his children an outward focus on others to be kind and content. True wealth is not in the multiplicity of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants. He was a great listener, counselor and true friend. He always had a big smile and patience to teach things like cribbage to his children and grandchildren. Wally’s children would say, “We learned to be truthful and always speak well of others. He taught us to strive for lives well lived. To not be a follower of others. but to make our own paths. To always forgive and never go to bed angry. We learned with faith, we become fully prepared to live and through that faith we become fully prepared to die.” On December 10th of this year, Wally and Darlene would have been married for 74 years! They loved to dance. In fact, that’s how they met, and they continued to dance joyfully through life. One of their favorite songs was Ann Murray’s “Could I Have This Dance?” Besides dancing, the couple enjoyed gardening. They planted an incredible garden and were well known for their beautiful roses and tulips. Wally wasn’t only a planter of many plants, but a planter of great loving things in all of his family’s hearts. Wally and Darlene cherished time spent with family and friends, and were very involved in their church - visiting shut-ins, ushering, serving as readers, and serving communion. Wally will be deeply missed by his wife of almost 74 years, Darlene Ernst of New Hampton; his children; Carole (Terry) Andreessen of Libby, MT; Dianne (Craig) LaRue of Denver, IA; Patricia (Robert) Jenkins of Waterloo, IA, Shari (Dale) Nosbisch of Ionia, IA and Wallace Jeffery (Cindy) Ernst of Cresco, IA; 14 grandchildren; Angelia (Jerry) Kelly, Michelle (Chas) Vincent, Ryan (Katie) Andreessen, Lisa (Mark) Sage, Scott (Susi) LaRue, Melanie (Shawn) Mastin, Andrew (Rachel) Jenkins-Antonuccio, Michael (Amelia Lobo) Jenkins, Kristin (Jason) Stanford, Elizabeth (Karl) Zondo, Kirk (Tracy) Nosbisch, Sam (Jacque) Nosbisch, Jacquelyn Ernst and Emily Ernst; 24 great-grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; one sister, Jeanette (Norman) Anderson; one sister-in-law, Elaine Ernst and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Arnold, Ervin, Hubert, his twin Wayne, and Donald; one sister, Shirley; a sister and brother in infancy and four sisters-in-law.