Ernest Celestino Luders, 85, of Kirkland, Washington passed away unexpectedly on January 8th, 2021 after a brief illness. He was born in Seattle on July 27th, 1935, the only son of two immigrants: Ernst Heinrich Lüders of Germany and Maria Grazia Iannantuoni of Italy. They met and married in Seattle and had Ernest quite late in life—a welcome surprise after ten years of marriage.
He grew up in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle and went to Garfield High School. But eager to get out and see the world, he dropped out and enlisted in the Navy, becoming an electronics technician. But he had bigger ambitions and applied to the United States Naval Academy to become an officer. His application was accepted, he finished high school coursework at Navy Prep School, then became a plebe at Annapolis in 1954. There he studied aeronautical engineering, learned to sail—a lifelong passion—and made many friendships which transcended decades.
He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1958. That same year, he married Paula Marie Anderson on June 21st. Together they went on to have four sons: Mark, Matthew, John, and Joseph. After the Academy, he went to Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Florida where he learned to fly and became a naval aviator. In that role, he served many duties, from flying submarine patrols in Alaska to test piloting new aircraft at Patuxent River. Later he taught aeronautical engineering to a new generation of midshipmen at the Naval Academy. After serving 26 years, he retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander and worked another 17 years for Boeing as a customer engineer, working with airlines in the Netherlands and Indonesia. After retiring altogether in the 1990s, he and Paula enjoyed many years of traveling, socializing with their many friends, and enjoying their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ernest was preceded in death by his parents Ernst and Maria Luders and his wife Paula Anderson Luders. He is survived by his sons Mark, Matthew, John, and Joseph Luders; daughters-in-law Lori Luders, Michiko Luders, and Johanna Warshaw; his grandchildren Alyssa (Kevin) Ross, John Michael, Ivy Gabrielle, and Rose; his great-grandchildren Raina Ross and Francesca Ross; sisters-in-law Nancy (Jack) Wires and Susan (Donald) Gill; nieces and nephews Bonny (Roger) Enoka, Sandra Wires, Carolyn (Lionel) Ruckstuhl, Jennifer (Ernest) Hauswurz, Lance Wires, Brendan Wires, Mary (Darin) Janda, Richard Gill, and Megan (Paul) deLay; cousins Celestino Conte, Rosa (Salvatore) Iannantuoni, Mariana Iannantuoni, and Antonella (Francesco) Di Renzo.
A memorial service will be held at Evergreen-Washelli Funeral Home in Seattle on Sunday, January 17th. A graveside service will immediately follow at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle.
Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Relief Services and the USO.
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