Carroll Curly Ernst

Carroll “Curly” Charles Ernst, 85, of Humboldt, passed away January 2, 2015 at the Humboldt County Memorial Hospital. Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2015 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Humboldt with the Rev. Jerry Raether and Rev. Aaron Flatau officiating. Interment will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, near Thor. Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2015 at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home in Humboldt.
Carroll Ernst, the son of Charles and Hannah (Sandvig) Ernst, was born February 14, 1929 at home in Beaver township to what would become the family farm. He attended the country school North of the farm, known as Corinth No. 7. He then went to Humboldt High School. Since there were no buses he drove a 1929 Model A Ford, taking his sisters and neighbors to school. While growing up, he was active in 4-H, showing in the beef division. When he was just 12 years old, he purchased his first tractor, a new 1941 Farmall B with the 4-H premium money from his cattle, a tractor that he still has. Farming was already in his blood. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1946. After graduation, he started to farm with his father and continued to farm the rest of his working life. On January 22, 1950 Curly was united in marriage to Kathryn Wood at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, Iowa. The couple made their home with Minnie “Grandmother” McFarland on a farm in Corinth township, just one-half mile South of his parents. He continued to farm with his father and raise chickens. In the fall of 1955, he moved his family to a farm in Arnold, Iowa and then in 1959 to Beaver township where he farmed the rest of his working life. Curly raised corn and soybeans and milked cows until 1967. He served as secretary on the Board of Directors of the Humboldt Cooperative Creamery Association. He retired from farming due to his Parkinson’s disease.
Curly is survived by his wife of nearly 65 years, Kathryn, of Thor; daughter, Gail (Ed) Smith of Humboldt; son, Phillip (Pat) Ernst of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; and son, Brian (Claudia) Ernst of Humboldt. Grandchildren: Tina (Scott) Starkweather, Sycamore, Illinois; Tyler (Cassie) Smith, Humboldt; Merrick and Brenne Ernst of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Elizabeth (Mitch) Drews of Humboldt; Amelia (Eric) Scott of Papillion, Nebraska; Conner Ernst of Dotham, Alabama. Step-grandchildren: Lyndsey (Steven) Osler of Charlotte, North Carolina; Whittney Rikard of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Great grandchild: Kiera Ernst. Step-great grandchild: Rosemary Osler. Sisters: Mildred (Virgil) Harper of Greeley, Colorado; Lillian Christensen of Eagle Grove, Iowa. Special niece, Sharon (Lou) Fontana, of Humboldt, who was raised by his parents. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Trent Smith; sister Esther and Clarence Hauck; sister Blanche and Marvin Wallis and brothers-in law Harold Schmidt and Donald Christensen.