Obituary of Ila Marie Ernst

Ila Marie Ernst, 92, of rural Johnson County, most recently a resident of Crestview Care Center in West Branch, passed away on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, after a sudden illness surrounded by loving family. Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 12, 2012, at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City with burial following at Fairview Cemetery in rural Johnson County. Visitation will be Friday from 3-7 p.m. at the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ila's memory to the West Branch First Responders, American Diabetes Association, the Johnson County Veterans Trail or the Salvation Army or an organization of your choice. Online condolences may be sent to her family through the web @www.gayandciha.com. Ila was born on October 30, 1919, in Harlan, Iowa, to Zelpha Weeks Brown and Robert Ralph Brown. She had three brothers and three sisters. On April 4, 1942, she married Louis Fred Ernst of Iowa City. Following her graduation from City High in 1937, she attended nursing school for one year but had to leave due to illness. During her husband's early deployment in World War II, she worked for the Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C. She and Louis partnered in the management of the family farm. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She often expressed how fortunate she was to be alive because of the intervention of the principal at Henry Sabin School who recognized symptoms of an acute illness, and to the surgeon who operated on her life threatening, ruptured appendix. Ila's family would also like to recognize Dr. Bozek and the staff at Crestview Care Center for the loving care they gave her. She was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church and Zion's family group, Homebuilders. She was a member of the Women's Social Circle, a Cub Scout and Brownie Leader. She was an avid Euchre player and played with the Homebuilders card group, Morris Community Club, Solon and then with her Crestview friends. She is survived by daughters Catherine Arleen West of Iowa City, Virginia Ann Andrews (Norman)of Raleigh, NC, Margaret Ernst Klink (Rev. Charles)of Montezuma , Ia., and son Ronald Alan Ernst (Mary Edgerton )of Charleston, SC; Foreign exchange student, Juan Salgado and family of Santiago, Chili; 7 grandchildren, Josh Andrews (Kristi Grady) Angier, NC, Cara Ernst of Charleston, SC, Cynthia West of North Liberty, Curtis West of Iowa City, IA, Kiersten Onanga (Blanchard)of Iowa City IA, Stephanie West of North Liberty, IA, Ian Klink of Aurora, IL; Great-grandchildren Aubree, Ava, Ameliah and Chase; Sister-in-law, Millie Ernst of West Branch, IA; and many nieces and nephews. Ila was preceded in death by her husband Louis with whom she is now reunited, her parents , and siblings, Clyde who died in infancy, Berton Brown (Vivian), Fred Brown (Frances and Rebecca), and three sisters, Mabel Doss (John), Dorothy DeArmond (Ralph), Zelpha Duster Omann (Henry and Lester); nephews Rudy, Phil, Larry, Bob, Gary and niece Ruth.