James Rudolf Ernst

James Rudolf Ernst was born at the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 19, 1949 to Georgiana Alice (Thompson) and Clifford Ellsworth Ernst. James’s father was a physician and attended his birth. In his youth James was known to family and friends as Rudy but as an adult he preferred to be called James. The name Rudolf was the name of the immigrant ancestor our family descends from named “Johan Rudolf Ernst” that arrived in 1847 from Aarau, Switzerland.

As a child James was a bit of a daredevil and loved to climb and jump off things which resulted in several broken bones including a broken leg and broken nose. Fortunately his dad was a doctor so he had good medical care.

In 1954 when James was about 6 the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where his dad opened a new medical practice in Phoenix near Good Samaritan Hospital.

He attended Kiva, and Kaibab grade schools and Scottsdale High School where he graduated in 1967.

Rudy loved sports and excelled in basketball, baseball and football but his real love was basketball. He was on the varsity team at a Scottsdale High School and very popular with his outgoing and fun personality. He was the heartthrob of many of the girls there.

After graduation he attended Arizona State University for a couple of years and was member of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity. After College he apprenticed as a plumber and worked at that trade for many years.

He married Deborah Hunt in 1973 and divorced in 1980. He then married Barbara Brown in 1989. They were later divorced but had one daughter Ashley Ernst.

James felt most comfortable being in the great outdoors. He loved hunting and fishing and working with his hands and traveling. He also loved all kinds of music and could remember the words to many songs. He preferred reading a good book to watching TV and was a devoted Dad and his pride and joy is his daughter Ashley. He also loved her step siblings Kyle and Tara Callahan.

James was physically a big man and could be very intimidating to those who did not know him but he had a kind and loving heart and would always be there to help those in need. In his later years he worked for Pinal Hispanic Council in Coolidge Arizona providing behavioral healthcare and treatment services and support for those diagnosed with mental Illness and substance abuse disorders.

He is survived by his daughter, Ashley Ernst, his brother Paul and wife Charlene Ernst and their daughter Stephanie Ernst and his younger sister, Judy Ernst Mullen and her husband John B. Mullen, and their children; Jason and Nichole Mullen and daughter, Addesyn; Tyler Mullen; Mike and Jasmine Mullen and their children Violet and Archer.

A memorial service for Rudy will be held Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Lakeshore Mortuary, 1815 South Dobson Road, Mesa, Arizona 85202.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.LakeshoreMort.com for the Ernst family.