Ernnie arrived on a snowy morning in Shady Cove, Oregon on February 10, 1937 to Ernest and Ollive Dyer. The record level snow did not allow the doctor to make it, but gratefully a caring neighbor was there to deliver him. While going to grade school in Prineville, he learned to play marbles and soon became the reigning Marble King, skillfully winning all his classmates’ marbles. He also spent much of his youth hunting, fishing and playing baseball, all of which were lifelong passions. While playing high school baseball at Mount Vernon, he was scouted to be a Major League pitcher, but chose another path.
Ernnie met the love of his life and married Helen Fitzsimmons on July 25, 1959. After being drafted into the army in April 1960, he had the chance to live in Alaska and be part of the Honor Guard at the Presidio in San Francisco. Ernnie and Helen had two sons; Tom was born in 1962 and Don followed in 1964. Ernnie and Helen lived many places in their 59 years of marriage, but in 1972, Ontario, Oregon became home. He was an over the road truck driver working many years for NACA, retiring from ABF Freight in 1998. His retirement brought time to travel to Cooperstown, NY to see his favorite player, Nolan Ryan, be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Along with baseball, he loved hunting and steelhead fishing in Hells Canyon and on the Clearwater River. But by far, his greatest passion was spending time with his family. Ernnie loved practical jokes and usually didn’t get caught because people never believed it was him.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers (Howard and Vern); and a sister (Evelyn). He is survived by his wife; sons, Tom (Lori), Filer, ID, and Don (Luann), Nampa, ID; 9 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; sisters, Louise Patterson, Bonanza, OR and Dollie Bond, Fields Landing, CA; two sisters-in-law, Jane Waggoner, Boise, ID and Joan Hilliard, Parma, ID; along with many beloved nieces, nephews and close friends. Ernnie will be missed by many whose lives he has touched along the way.
An open house will be held at Ernnie and Helen’s home on Friday June 22, 2018 to share stories, coffee and a cookie from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Graveside service and burial will be at Canyon City, OR Cemetery Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. PST.
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