Ernie Nagy

Ernie Nagy

March 13, 1930 - Dec. 2, 2019

SOUTH BEND, IN - Ernie Nagy died peacefully Monday, December 2, 2019 at 7:05 pm at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. He had spent Thanksgiving week surrounded by his family. He was 89 years old.

Born in South Bend, Indiana on March 13, 1930 to Paul and Mary Nagy, Ernie started his life during the Great Depression in a Hungarian family on the west side of South Bend. He had five siblings: Irene, Alex, Katie, Jeanne, and Frieda. His father worked factory jobs at Bendix and Studebaker while his mother raised their six children during the day and cleaned offices at night. Ernie attended Riley High School and excelled in football and basketball.

After high school, Ernie attended Florida State University on a football scholarship. Proud as he was to be a Seminole, he was a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan to the end.

Upon graduating from college, Ernie pursued a career in sales, returning to his hometown of South Bend, Indiana. Ernie founded E. J. Nagy and Associates, an Elkhart-based Mobile Home OEM supply/distribution company in Elkhart, Indiana. He later merged that company with Riblet Products Corporation from which he retired as Chairman.

He married the love of his life, Jane Horner, and was happily married for over 60 years. They had two children, Thomas and Nancy, and Thomas and his wife Julie gave them four beautiful granddaughters, Natalie (Trevor), Olivia, Camille, and Julianne as well as a great-granddaughter, Nealey Faith.

Ernie so loved his wife Jane. Jane has been very ill with Alzheimer's for many years. Despite the physical and emotional difficulty, Ernie insisted on being Jane's only caregiver and did everything he could to honor her and keep her happy. We all should hope to have someone in our lives that loved us so deeply. He also loved and was so proud of his children and grandchildren.

Ernie was smart, successful, funny, and a true “old school” powerful man in every way. He fought to the end, was loved, and will be missed terribly.

Private services will be announced at a later date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Smile Train charity at https://www.smiletrain.org/. Palmer Funeral Home-River Park, South Bend is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.