Earnest C. Hausey

Earnest "Ernie" Hausey
October 16, 1954 — November 19, 2025

Earnest "Ernie" Hausey passed away peacefully on November 19, 2025, after a years-long fight with cancer. He lived the kind of life that collected stories the way some people collect stamps: voraciously, unapologetically, and with an occasional dent or two from a closing truck door.

Life and spirit
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 16, 1954, Ernie never stayed in one place long enough to be boring. He and his wife Barbara once ran a convenience store in Oklahoma, and for the last four decades he called Independence, Missouri home. A professional truck driver for most of his life, Ernie saw enough of this country to know that the map's best parts are the ones you've driven past at 2 a.m. with the radio on and the coffee gone cold. He loved traveling in his RV and on cruises, and later learned to fly small planes — which only increased his ability to claim he'd "seen it all" from yet another angle.

Ernie was a fixture at the Fairmont Community Center, always ready to lend a hand, an opinion, or a chair to someone who needed it. He and his son Eric went into business together later in life, buying and running a bar where Ernie excelled at knowing everyone's name, telling stories that grew more impressive with each retelling, and being the man who could break up a bar fight with equal parts common sense and a steady elbow.

Personality and home truths
Tough as nails — except when a cold or the flu came knocking, at which point he became a surprisingly fragile man demanding sympathy — Ernie was the sort of guy who said whatever was on his mind, whether the world asked for it or not. He was rough around the edges, quick with a snarky comment, and quicker still to help friends and family when it mattered. His humor was a constant; he used it to brighten long hauls, slow nights at the bar, and community events alike.

Ernie's life was full of small pleasures: swapping travel tips with fellow RVers, checking the weather before a flight, hearing the laughter of grandchildren, and turning strangers into regulars simply by listening. He took great pride in his work, his family, and the people who crowded into his life and stayed.

Survived by
- Children: Eric, Jacob, Melissa, and Kim
- Grandchildren: Drake, Emma, Reagan, Sydney, and Alexandra, Wesley, Alex, Mitchell, and Audrey

He leaves behind a family that will remember him for his stubborn kindness, his unfiltered honesty, and the particular brand of loud laughter that made any room feel livelier.

A final note
Ernie lived large, loved loud, and never pretended to be anything he wasn't. If you knew him, you know there are a thousand little Ernie stories already circulating — some true, some embellished, all worth hearing. The family will share funeral and visitation details when arrangements are complete.

Rest well, Ernie. May the road be smooth, the coffee hot, and the bar stools plentiful.