Passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2023 at age 80. Beloved husband of Brenda (nee Dickey) for over 57 years. Preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Wilhelmine and Alois Elixhauser, father Johann Durlas, and brother Manfred. Loving father of Krista Durlas (Brian Merkel) and John Durlas; adoring grandfather of Ruby and Henry Merkel; dear brother of Anne Elixhauser (Bill Hayden); dear uncle of Ben Hayden. Dearest cousin, nephew, and friend to many.
Ernie was a retired machinist from Anheuser Busch Brewery. He was an avid outsdoorsman: hunter, fisherman, birdwatcher, photographer, and Scoutmaster. He loved cars, especially Corvettes and was a member of the National Corvette Restorers Society. He liked to travel, snow- and water-ski, cycle, garden, and spend time with his family and friends. He loved to laugh, was a gifted storyteller, and never met a stranger—human or dog.
Services: Visitation Wednesday, August 2, 4-8 pm. Funeral at Kutis Affton Chapel, 10151 Gravois Rd. 63123 on Thursday, August 3 at 10:30 am. Interment at St. Paul Churchyard Cemetery. Contributions to World Bird Sanctuary (worldbirdsanctuary.org).
Our deepest of sympathy to the entire family in memory of your precious Ernie.
Our hearts love is with you all.🙏💞
Roberta & Larry Briskin
He was wonderful, now dad and Erniecan go fishing together!
Brenda, Krista and John – I am so sorry to hear about Ernie’s passing. I grew up admiring the lifelong friendship between Ernie and my dad and absolutely cherished hearing the bedtime stories my dad would tell about their adventures, misadventures and mischief as kids, both overseas and once they reunited in the U.S. As I got older, dad shared other stories from their adult friendship and the stories just got better. It was an honor developing my own different kind of friendship with Ernie over the years while hunting and fishing with him and my dad as a kid, hanging out at family events and get-togethers, and receiving warm words, stories and comfort from him, along with some rare Ernie tears, when my dad passed. I was so touched by the way Ernie continued to reach out to and check on my mom after dad’s passing. He and you all will always be such special friends of our family’s, even if we so rarely see you these days.
My condolences and the warmest of thoughts to you all during this time.
Mike Gerhardt
Uns fehlen die Worte. Unsere aufrichtige Anteilnahme. Wie sind so dankbar, dass wir Ernie zum Geburtstag noch überraschen durften und denken an seine große Freude zurück. Bei unserem ersten Besuch in Amerika wurden wir sehr herzlich in die Familie aufgenommen. Dafür sind wir aus ganzem Herzen dankbar. Wir werden Ernie sehr vermissen, auch wenn uns so viele Meilen getrennt haben. Wir verlieren einen außergewöhnlichen Menschen, den wir sehr geschätzt haben. Alles liebe für euch. Astrid und Klaus
Uns fehlen die Worte. Unsere aufrichtige Anteilnahme. Wie sind so dankbar, dass wir Ernie zum Geburtstag noch überraschen durften und denken an seine große Freude zurück. Wir werden Ernie sehr vermissen, auch wenn uns so viele Meilen getrennt haben. Mit großer Freude denken wir an unseren ersten USA-Besuch zurück, wo wir so herzlich in die Familie aufgenommen wurden. Wir verlieren einen außergewöhnlichen Menschen, den wir sehr geschätzt haben. Alles liebe für euch. Astrid und Klaus
Dearest Brenda, John and Krista,
I am so sorry to hear the news of your loss of dear Ernie.
You wrote such a beautiful piece about your precious husband, Brenda — and your wonderful father, John and Krista.
We know he made a positive impact on so many lives, to say the least, with his witty humor and the warmth of his caring heart, just to mention a couple of his attributes that come to mind when I think of him heartily laughing with my Dad and their friendship.
Yet he has always been so much more to our family than a friend.
Indeed, we have always considered him family….like a brother to our Dad. And we cannot be more grateful for the ways he looked after our Mama, since the passing of my Daddy…just as a devoted brother does.
I also loved our Dad’s stories of their mischief as little children in Europe…and “adult children” antics, too in the US!
He was such a good man and friend — so dear to all our hearts. We will miss him deeply. Yet, it is so good to think of him being reunited with my Dad and all the dear family that have gone before them. I can’t imagine all the fun those 2 are having in heaven fishing and hunting together possibly- yet above all, experiencing the purest joy and peace possible, in being reunited with our heavenly Father.
Our prayers cover you in grieving Ernie’s absence from this earth. Yet we pray you may be comforted with the hope in knowing that you will be joined again with him one day in the best reunion party possible in heaven with our Lord Jesus.
Our deepest sympathies to all of you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
I knew Ernie from working at Anheuser Busch and I can say he was one great individual, always upbeat. He had a great sense of humor, he was a very talented machinist and it was always a pleasure to work with him. May God comfort and bless all his family and friends.