Erna Hart Obituary

ERNA HELENE HART

Erna Helene Hart, 93, a long time resident of the Felida community, died peacefully in her sleep on January 17, 2005 at Southwest Washington Hospital in Vancouver after a short valiant battle with congestive heart failure and stroke.Erna was born the daughter of Christian George and Elna Isabell Larsen on June 23, 1911 in Chicago, Illinois.Erna was a gifted student with a good athletic prowess and earned many awards at Carl Schurz High School. In her freshman year she was the top freshman of all gym members. It was in the cold Chicago winters that she learned to love ice skating and treasured her long bladed racing skates.In 1926 the family moved from Chicago driving a Studebaker Touring sedan all the way to Felida.Erna attended Vancouver High School majoring in scientific courses, was a member of the G.A.A., and starred in the 1928 class play "The Amazons".After graduating she took extended courses in short hand and stenography at Clark College.In 1929 Erna met Earl M. Hart and they were married in January, 1930. Through the following years, along with raising a family through the depression and WWII, Erna had to wear many hats; harvesting orchard produce, working in the cannery, clerking in Wheeler's General Store, janitor at Felida Grade School, plywood mill worker, shoe sales person, buyer for the shoe department, bowling instructor, bowling alley manager, and managing the club house at Pine Crest Golf Course. Erna was also an aircraft spotter during WWII.Erna enjoyed fishing, digging clams, yardwork and gardening, bowling (she was a member of the 600 club), reading mystery novels, reading about native American Indians, working crossword puzzles, playing the piano, playing card games and board games, a bit of gambling on the slot machines at Lake Tahoe, Reno, LasVegas, and other Casinos. She really enjoyed the many trips to the coast with her grand children during their spring break.Erna has been to Hawii (three times), Alaska, Cancun, and Denmark to see her parents homeland.Erna was a people person. She liked everybody and was generous to a fault. She was influenced by her mothers Danish tradition of mak ing sure that guests were served something to eat , or at least had something to take with them when they left. She is loved by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Earl, in March of 1980, grandsons John and Paul in 1968, and a great granddaughter Brianna in 1983She is survived by her two sons Brian and Pat both of Vancouver, five grand children, nine great children, and six great great grand childrenThere will be a graveside service at Park Hill Cemetery on Thursday January 20, 2005 at 1:00 PM.Erna was a 19 year survivor of breast cancer and the family suggests that donations in her name be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 371, Vancouver, WA 98666.