Ernest Sgarlata

Ernest Sgarlata, 98, of Santa Ana, passed away on September 21, 2018. Ernie was born in Akron OH in September 1920. He was the second of 5 children in the family. In 1935, the Sgarlata family moved to Erie PA. Ernie had many stories about working for the local orchards picking fruit and going to the surrounding lakes.

In early 1942, Ernie enlisted in the Army. He went to North Africa first, then to Italy. Ernie had a natural gift with machines and engines so the motor pool and ordinance were perfect place for him. He distinguished himself in the service and was awarded the Purple Heart, Sharpshooter and Good Conduct Medal among others. He left the Army in October, 1945. Ernie reenlisted in the Army in early 1950 and was among the first to go to Korea when the conflict began. He spent three long years in Korea.

Ernie came home to Erie and ran a Sinclair gas station and garage. He was introduced to his soon to be wife, Juanita, by mutual friends. They married in 1954. In 1955 Ernie sold the gas station and came west to California. As soon as Ernie and Juanita got settled in Santa Ana, Anita, the first daughter arrived. A second daughter, Wadie arrived in 1957. A son, Ernest Lee followed in 1964.

Ernie was hired at Cox Hobbies in 1957 and he worked there for 30 years. It was the perfect job for his talents; electrical, hydraulics, welding, construction, any and everything to do with machines and engines. Ernie loved working with the model planes Cox created. At least once a month he would be demonstrating how to fly the planes at Disneyland in Anaheim.

After retirement, Ernie did a few maintenance jobs, then landed at the Garden Grove school district He worked as a janitor for about a year, then won the job as the maintenance man at La Quinta HS at 71. His competition was all under 45. For the second time Ernie had found a home. He did everything at the school, from hanging blackboards to fixing the AC on the roof. At the tender age of 86, Ernie had a work injury at La Quinta and had to retire.

Ernie wasn’t a man who had “hobbies”. Work was Ernie’s hobby, but he was always ready to use his mechanical talents to help friends and family. Ernie joined the Elks lodge in 2002, while he was still working. Now he had time to participate in the various charitable activities at the Elks. He was a regular at the Main Street Car Show. Ernie was a regular at the Waterfront café in Garden Grove where he knew everyone. Ernie considered it an honor to hand out poppies on Memorial Day.

Ernie loved to gamble. He loved to go to the casinos in San Diego and Laughlin. Ernie loved the scratchers too! He was a serious baseball fan. After a brief flirtation with the Dogs, he became a devout Angels fan. Ernie loved to collect baseball cards, he has thousands. And cars, Ernie loved to collect die cast cars. He has hundreds of those!

Ernie had 5 great-granddaughters. He was completely at their mercy and he loved it. They were the joy of his later years. They already miss him very much.