Henry Samuel Ernst Jr.

Henry S. Ernst Jr. VIRGINIA BEACH - Henry Samuel Ernst Jr., 86, passed away Nov. 2, 2008, in a local hospital. He was born in Canton, Ohio, on Nov. 17, 1921, and was the son of the late Henry and Hilda Ernst. Henry was preceded in death by his wife, Floreen A. Ernst. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Heidelberg College, Tiffin, Ohio, Class of 1947 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Wayne State University, Detroit, Class of 1949. Henry retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel with 20 years of service. He performed active military service during World War II with the Army Transportation Corps in the Asiatic- Pacific Theater and in Korea with the Army's 45th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal, the Army Commendation medal and nine service medals. Following his last tour of active military service, he worked in the civil service at Fort Monroe and Fort Eustis. He retired as a cost research specialist at Fort Monroe in 1982. Henry served a combined total of 40 military and civil service years with the federal government. Following his retirement, he assisted his wife, Floreen, in the operation of an antique and collectible retail business known as Beach Antiques. Henry was a member of the Military Officers Association of America, the Planetary Society, and AARP. He attended the First Baptist Church of Virginia Beach where he sang in the choir and served a term as a deacon. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was active on the local musical stage and performed featured roles in musical productions of the Virginia Beach Civic Chorus and the Norfolk Savoyards. Henry is survived by a son, Henry S. Ernst III and wife Kathy of Gulfport, Fla.; a daughter, Loralee E. Woolard and husband Roderick of Norfolk; two granddaughters, Amy A. Jenkins of Chicago and Christina W. Black and husband John of Seattle; and two great- grandchildren, Mary Arden Black and John W. Black IV. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church of Virginia Beach by the Rev. Steven R. Gupton. A private entombment will take place at Princess Anne Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at Hollomon- Brown Funeral Home, Bayside Chapel, Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Virginia Beach, 401 35th St., Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.