Dr. R. Ernest Dear

Ernie has been in my memory as Maryanne´s big brother. She was my friend and neighbor when I was in grades 4-6. Ernie was a teenager with tall stacks of comic books. He let us borrow the Superman ones, which girls didn´t have in those days. The Dear family was almost like a storybook, with a grandma living there and doing a lot of baking on her own wood stove, and an elderly aunt and uncle living upstairs, as well as a retired schoolteacher who boarded there. The parents were very busy but...

To the Family of Mr. Dear.
I usually look at the obits daily but hope that I never see anyone I know. Mr. Dear's picture jumped out at me, as someone I once knew, before I even read the name. He hasn't changed much in 50 years. He was my Civics teacher in the ninth grade at Harrison Park School, here in Grand Rapids. His classroom was in the southeast corner of the buillding on the second floor facing west, right by the stairway. I believe that that would have been about 1957.
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Dear Barb, Gary called to let me know about Ernie's passing and I am so sorry. Sounds like he was doing fine right up to the end which is a Blessing.Wish I were closer you have my e-mail so let me hear from you.

Dear Barb, Maryanne, and all of Ernie's family,

We just want you to know that we are thinking of you as you go through this time of losing your dear life companion, father, brother, and granddad. Even though we only met him once many years ago, we feel as if we knew him well through the stories we heard through his sister Maryanne who loved him so very much. May our loving Father in Heaven hold you in His arms and give you comfort and strength. We will be thinking of you...