Wallace C. 'Wally' Ernst

Wallace C. "Wally" Ernst, 85, a resident of State Rt. 26, for over forty years, passed away on Saturday, June 16, 2007, at Lewis Co. Residential Health Care Facility in Lowville, where he had resided since June, 3, 2007. Wally was born in West Leyden, on March 19, 1922, a son of Charles and Elizabeth Evans Ernst. He grew up in West Leyden graduating from high school with the Class of 1940. In 1942 Mr. Ernst entered the U.S. Army serving in WWII, in the Pacific Theater, and he was a member of a gun fighter battalion that patrolled the Panama Canal region. He was honorably discharged on October 29, 1945. After the war he returned to West Leyden, and was employed at Revere Copper and Brass Co. of Rome until 1951. From 1951 until his retirement in 1981, he was employed as a letter carrier out of the main post office in Rome. Following his retirement, Wally was employed as care taker of the West Leyden Cemetery for sixteen years, and was a care taker for a private estate in Fish Creek. Wallace was united in marriage with Hannah Lauber on May 5, 1951, at Trinity Church of Rome. He was a member of the West Leyden Reformed Church, Charles J. Love Post American Legion Post # 406, Boonville, and had bowled on the Love Post Bowling Team. He was also a member of West Leyden Fire Co., West Leyden Cemetery Association, and the West Leyden Fish and Game Club. Mr. Ernst had served on the West Leyden School Board of Education. Wally and Hannah greatly enjoyed traveling and together they traveled to Switzerland in 1970, and again in 1987, and they also traveled to Alaska, and throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to his wife, Hannah, Wally is survived by two sons and daughter in law; Randall Ernst, West Leyden, Travis Ernst, and Jaime, Lee Center, two daughters and sons in law; Cindy Youngs and Lance, Holly E. Mathis and Rod, both of West Leyden, seven grandchildren; Adam and Trevor Youngs, Cody Ernst, Trinity and Kallie Mathis, Cheyenne and Naline Ernst, and one sister, Bertha Dulak, Rome. He was predeceased by two sisters; Sinia E. Streiff in 1983, and Verena Kent in 1998. His funeral will be Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. at the Trainor Funeral Home, Inc., 143 Schuyler St. Boonville, with interment with military honors following cremation in West Leyden Cemetery. Calling hours are Tuesday 2-4 & 7-9 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to West Leyden Reformed Church or to West Leyden Fire Co.