Albert Ernst

Albert T. Ernst, Sr, of Perkiomenville, died at age 86 on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at home in the care of those who survive him and loved him: Kitty (Macdonald) Ernst, his wife and partner of 50 years; his daughter Rosemary Senjem and her husband Marc of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; his son Albert T. Ernst, Jr. (Ted) and his wife Kim of Pottstown; his daughter Kate Bauer and her husband Don of Perkiomenville; and his three wonderful grandchildren, Nicholas Ernst, Darby and Sophie Bauer. Albert was preceded in death by his parents Alban and Sophie (Heebner) Ernst and his brother Walter Ernst. A graduate of Pennsburg High school, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in the South Pacific theatre in World War II as a cryptographer (decoder of enemy communications). Al received a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering from Drexel University and became an award winning Senior Design Engineer for Boeing Aircraft in the Helicopter Division. In his community, Al volunteered with Anna Gottschalk to pioneer the development of the first comprehensive plan and regulation for orderly growth of Upper Frederick Township and served for many years as Chair of the Planning Commission. He was a life long member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Obelisk lending his extraordinary baritone voice, often in solo, to their choir. He also started and led the Men’s Choir there for several years. He supported his love of art and music as a member of the Philadelphia Museum and the Philadelphia Opera Company. He was a lifelong student of history, archeology, theology, and politics, as well as an environmentalist and animal lover. In his retirement, Al enjoyed the family’s restored log cabin and classes at “Painting in the Mountains” in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Albert also contributed to the promotion and development of the pilot Community-based Nurse-midwifery Education Program (CNEP). This distance learning program was launched in Perkiomenville. Now at the Frontier School of Midwifery & Family Nursing in Kentucky, CNEP is the nation’s largest graduate school for nurse-midwifery. His life will be celebrated at 1:00PM on Sunday, February 6, 2011 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church located at Rt. 73 and Neiffer Road in Obelisk with the Rev. Arlene Greenwald, Interim Pastor, officiating. Falk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Pennsburg, has been entrusted with his arrangements. For complete service information and to offer condolences, visit his book of memories at falkfuneralhomes.com.