Ernest Otto Kohlhase Jr

1937 - 2025

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of 87-year-old, Ernest Otto Kohlhase, Jr. on February 16th, 2025. He was born in Juneau, on April 25th, 1937. He led an outstanding life and was a well-respected fisherman, businessman, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He started life growing up on Harbor Island, 45 miles south of Juneau in Holkham Bay, in a German immigrant family of four raising foxes for pelts. Father, Ernest Otto, Mother, Anna Marie and older brother Robert. At age 7, his family moved into town (Juneau) to pursue the boys' education.

He first attended Douglas High School, then moving on to graduate from Juneau High School, all the while helping his father build homes on North Douglas after school. Thinking there might be more to the world; he enrolled in the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he made it through his freshman year but realized formal education was not his thing. In 1958, on a trip to see friends in Vancouver, BC he met Sylvia Irene Pillpow, a farm girl from Saskatchewan. After being married in August 1959 and a brief 6-month enlistment in the army, stationed in Monterey, they started their lives together, living both in Juneau and Seattle, back and forth every year, a lifestyle that would continue his whole life, even with the arrival of their sons, Jason Patrick in 1970 and Jonathan Dale in 1972.

Everyone that knew Ernie, can attest to how much he loved fishing. There was never a time he thought about doing anything else. What else in the world could be better? Over his commercial fishing career, he fished for halibut, sablefish, salmon, and herring in SE Alaska, Bristol Bay and False Pass. He knew Cross Sound like the back of his hand. He built and operated several boats, the last of which, the F/V JON-K, being his trusted workhorse since 1978. One of Ernie's true joys was supporting other fishermen in finding success, weather pointing a finger on a chart or financially partnering with someone to build a boat, he embraced those relationships and did it often with a simple handshake.

His memory will be shared by all surviving family members, Sylvia, Jason (Stephanie) Kohlhase, Jonathan Kohlhase, Kayla (Max) Dapcevich, Karter Ernest Kohlhase, grandchildren and his first great grandchild, Luca Dapcevich.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Sunday October 19th.
Louie's Douglas Inn, 3-5pm. No need to RSVP, just pop in and say hello.