Virginia Beach, Va. - Ernest "Ernie" or "Nestor" Care died peacefully at home in Sandbridge, Va., on April 13, 2013.
He was born on Oct. 5, 1921, in Groton and grew up in Niantic and New London, where he graduated from the former Bulkeley School and entered the Navy in 1940.
He was predeceased by his parents, Leonardo and Rose (Angioletta) Care and his stepmother, Sarah (DiMarco) Care; siblings, James and Joseph Care, Mary Mello, Lena Brailey, and Josephine Shelton; and step-sibilings, Joseph L. DiMarco, all of the the New London/Niantic area, and Angie Paparella of New Haven. His wife, Edith Dyer DiMarco Care, passed away on Feb. 9, 2009, on their 50th wedding anniversary.
Ernie entered the U.S. Navy in November 1940, attended machinist mate school and the Henry Ford School in Dearborn, Mich., and reported aboard the USS Yorktown CV-5 in May of 1941. In May 1942 during the Battle of the Coral Sea, she was stuck by a bomb and in June during the Battle of Midway, she was severely damaged and later sunk. Ernie abandoned ship, was picked up by a destroyer, and returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he assisted in the raising of the USS West Virginia BB-48 and then became a permanent crew member, serving aboard during the Battles of the Philippine Sea, Suriago Straits, and Leyte Gulf and the invasions of Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.
After the war, he became an instructor at air conditioning/refrigeration school in San Diego and was made a chief petty officer in May 1945. In 1947, he reported aboard the USS Hector AR-7. He made several deployments to the combat zone during the Korean War. He was commissioned as a warrant officer in 1955 and was appointed as a ships superintendent at the Boston Naval Shipyard. In 1957, he reported to the USS Glacier and completed two cruises to the Antarctic. He completed his final two years aboard the USS Cascade AD-14, where he made two Med deployments, retiring from the Navy in 1961, as a chief warrant officer second.
He was employed at AMF's evaporator lab at Millstone for several years before they relocated to the Gulf Coast and later at General Dynamics Electric Boat where he finally retired.
Ernie and Edie relocated to Virginia Beach in 2008. Ernie loved working with leather, telling sea stories, and bad jokes, reading, and, most of all, visiting with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was blessed with a prolific memory and his sea stories were enchantingly funny. He was also considered "the sweetest guy I've ever known" by all his family, extended family, and friends.
Ernie is survived by a sister, Margaret Anthonis of St. Louis, Mo.; sons, Robert Care (Joanne) of Los Gatos, Calif., Larry Care (Sharon) of Shingle Springs, Calif., and Lynn Care of Reno, Nevada; stepchildren, Susan DiMarco Kenyon (Mort) and Joseph DiMarco of Texas; his grandchildren, Jennifer Kenyon O'Quinn (James) of Augusta, Ga., Collin Kenyon (Stacy) of Virginia Beach, Rachel Care Danner (Steve) of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Becky Care of Hillsboro, Oregon; and great-grandchildren, Collin Quinn Kenyon of Virginia Beach, Ensign William O'Quinn aboard the USS Gettysburg, Mayport, Fla., and Collin, James, Morton, Thomas, Sarah, Catherine, and Jude O'Quinn of Augusta, Ga.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2013, at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Sandbridge Road, Virginia Beach, Va., with a reception to follow in the church hall. A Memorial Mass and interment will be held at a later date at St. Mary Star of Sea Church in New London.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice, 5029 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23462.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.altmeyer.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
With our Deepest Sympathy for the death of our cousin Ernest Care.
With all our love, from cousin Linda Care all the families.
Linda Care
April 29, 2013
So Sorry to hear of our darling cousin death, with our deepest sympathy with all our love from cousins Brindley Virgina Cavallaro all the families.
Edensor Park,
NSW, Australia.
Brindley Cavallaro
April 27, 2013
So sorry to hear of our darling Cousin death,with our Deepest Sympathy,with all our love from cousins May, Bill, all the families,and all the Cavallaro families.
Warrawee 557, Ascot Calala rd,
Tamworth, NSW Australia, 2340
MAY PRESS
April 27, 2013
The photograph and well written events of Uncle Nestor's life will go in our journals. We (Shelton/Benedicts)would all look forward to Uncle Nestor stopping by at mom and dad's house,(Merle & Josephine (Care) Shelton). He'd get a cup of coffee and a donut and we'd get a hour of stories full of family and world history, and some laughs. Uncle Nestor was always smiling and happy and you are so right about his memory. His stories were accurate and significant. I am certain he is telling new stories to Aunt Edie, his brothers, sisters, parents, and other family and friends right now as his spirit has returned to our first and real Heavenly home. I'm also sure Uncle Nestor will have new and wonderful stories to tell us when we join our loved ones. Our thoughts, prayers, and love are with all of Uncle Nestor's great family. We know the loneliness of missing someone you truly love even with the sure belief that we will see them again and be united as families.
David and Cindi (Shelton) Benedict and Jeff, Charity, Rachel, Ben, Davy, Merle and their families
Cindi Shelton & David Benedict
April 22, 2013
Missing you everyday Poppy!
Jennifer O'Quin
April 22, 2013
Fair winds and following seas and long may your big jib draw.
Michael Priolo
April 19, 2013
my life will always be richer by my knowing and loving such a gentle man as my UNCLE NESTOR. may he rest in peace and enjoy eternity with his EDIE.
TOM DYER
April 18, 2013
My thoughts and prayers to the family. Ernie was one of the nicest person I have had the pleasure of working with at EB. I am sure he will be missed by everyone.
Jim Hammel
April 18, 2013
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