James Ernest Merry

James Ernest Merry, retired United States Air Force, died January 10, 2020 in Sacramento, California at the age of 73. He was known simply as Ernie, Dad, or Papa to those who knew and loved him.

Ernie was born October 26, 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Robert F. Merry and Grace (Gillis) Merry, the fifth of six children. He married Ann Hedlund on July 18, 1970 in Columbus Heights, Minnesota and served his country as a dental technician in The United States Air Force. Ernie and Ann had two daughters who they raised across the United States and around the world. After retiring from the United States Air Force after twenty years of service, Ernie and Ann settled their family in Sacramento, California and Ernie launched a second career with the State of California in Accounting for the Department of Corrections.

Ernie was a devoted Christian who prayed for his family daily. He was active with the Gideons and served as Chaplain in the DAV for several years. One of his joys in retirement, before suffering with dementia, was to visit the hospitalized veterans at the VA hospital in Martinez, California. Ernie loved to fish (but loved even better to tell fishing tales) and enjoyed playing games for the majority of his life.

Ernie was a devoted husband to Ann Merry for forty-nine years, a loving father of two daughters Amy (Merry) Flinn and Joy (Merry) Stringer, and loved Papa to five granddaughters Karina Flinn, Alexis Flinn, Laura Stringer, Josephine Stringer, and Stephanie Stringer.

Ernie is predeceased by his father Robert F. Merry, mother Grace (Gillis) Merry, sister Betty (Merry) DeFay and brother Fred Merry. His surviving brothers are Bill Merry of Anoka, Minnesota, Frank Merry of McGregor, Minnesota, and Ben Merry of Selma, Alabama.

Ernie’s life will be celebrated on January 20, 2020 at 12PM in Sacramento, California. His body will rest at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California.

Donations in Ernie’s memory can be made to DAV (Disabled American Veterans) or Gideons International.

Ernie, born James Ernest Merry on October 26, 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Robert and Grace Merry, was the fifth of six children and was one of a kind. Bill, Betty, Frank, and Fred, were his older siblings; Ernie was seven when his younger brother Ben was born. Ernie’s father Robert was sick for most of Ernie’s childhood and passed away when he was only 11. Not a mean bone in his body, Ernie loved people and he loved food. Fishing was his childhood hobby and he loved comic books.

Ernie was outgoing and yet enjoyed time alone. His brothers said of him, “He tread where angels feared to tread.” As a young boy he would often get up before dawn and go fishing. Along the way he would visit two lonely people, each living in their own trailers on shared land. Mrs. Winch would give him goats milk and cookies. After fishing one fishing hole he would go visit the hobos along the railroad tracks, then go on to another lake or pond. He caught mostly bullheads which the family had for breakfast the next morning. He knew where the wild asparagus grew and when the choke cherries were ripe. He and his Mom loved asparagus; his Mom would make choke cherry jam.

Ernie had a vast vocabulary, but didn’t learn to read until the summer before he turned 9. In school he just barely got passing grades, but as an adult he learned well. Ernie did not enjoy sports very much, but he did play a little football. He wasn’t good at running but as he was “big”, he made a good block. He was a boy scout and in high school he was president of a Jr. Achievement Club, a fundraiser to help learn business skills. His best friend growing up was John Tristad. Ernie attended the University of Minnesota High School and graduated in 1964.

Ernie married Ann Marie on July 18, 1970 in a Methodist Church. After marriage Ernie continued his career as a Dental Technician in the United States Air Force. Their first daughter, Amy, was born in Idaho. Ann stayed in the states with their baby girl Amy, swapping homes between Ernie’s Mom and Ann’s Dad in Minnesota when Ernie was deployed to Thailand during the Vietnam War. In Thailand he sang with the Air Force in a black gospel choir, traveling and singing with some big names. On weekend passes in Thailand he visited a leper community and aided the missionary there. He loved to tell stories of the talents of the people he met there. As he was deployed close to Vietnam, he was considered a Veteran of Foreign Wars.

Ernie returned to the States in 1974 and their second daughter Joy was born in New Mexico the following year. Shortly after, the Air Force stationed him in England where he lived with his wife and two daughters for 7 years. He enjoyed playing rounders with the locals and getting lost while taking the family for picnics down the smallest roads he could find, meeting the family “egg man” and finding other adventures. On request he was transferred back to the States in 1983. He was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in Northern California, bringing his family on a new West Coast adventure. Many weekend mornings Ernie and Ann would bundle their mostly asleep girls into the back of the car for a day fishing. It didn’t seem to matter if fish were caught, but there were many plentiful Blue Gill fish fries in the evenings.

Ernie retired from the United States Air Force with the rank of MasterSergeant after 20 years of service in 1987. His service awards included:

1. Meritorious Service Medal

2. Airforce Commendation Medal

3. Airforce Achievement Medal

4. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

5. NCO Professional Military Eduction Graduate Ribbon with bronze oak leaf cluster

6. Airforce longevity service award ribbon with three bronze oak leaf clusters

7. National Defense Service Medal

8. Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon

9. Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon

10. Air Force Training Ribbon

11. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters

12. Air Force Good Conduct Medal with a silver oak leaf cluster

After retiring from the Air Force, Ernie pursued a second career as an office manager for the Accounting Department of the California State Department of Corrections. His hobbies as an adult included attending church, playing card games, and fishing. He preferred to fish from the shore, but enjoyed occasional excursions fishing from a boat. Ernie’s faith was Pentecostal, attending Assemblies of God churches. He was a leader in Celebrate Recovery. He enjoyed men’s church activities notably chili cookoffs and Monday Night football get togethers which invariably included hot pepper eating challenges. He retired from the State of California in 2003 with medical and neurological disabilities. After retirement, he loved to visit the veterans at Martinez, CA to cheer and comfort them; he also enjoyed watching football and golf.

Ernie and Ann spent five years of their retirement close to extended family in Arizona, then returned to Northern California to be close to their daughters and five grand-daughters – Karina, Alexis, Laura, Josephine and Stephanie. Ernie was very proud of his girls – their character and every accomplishment. He was enchanted with his grand-daughters and never happier than when tackled by all of them at once. He prayed for his family daily until he could not remember every day, but still frequently prayed for his family even towards his end days.

Ernie loved to laugh almost as much as he liked to make other people laugh. When asked “How are you?”, he would often respond with “I’m fine as frog’s hair” or…he would rub his fingers together meaning “I feel with my fingers”. He would request sky juice instead of water at a restaurant and would never leave a room without making others smile. He was an exacting proof reader for his girls (including Ann, Amy and Joy). There were no mistakes on the paper if you let him look at it! He could add, subtract and multiply numbers in his head faster than you could input the numbers in the calculator. One of his daughters still insists he counted cards while playing ANY card game while keeping score and giving feedback to his family on tactics.

Ernie passed away on January 10, 2020 in a small care home. He suffered in December from sepsis and pneumonia from which he never fully recovered. His understanding of what was said or done for him became so clouded that he would fight the help as his Lewy Body Dementia was very advanced. He went home to Jesus as his wife and girls sang to him on a Friday evening. His hospice nurse who had come to give him comfort care that evening, after being in his room for just a few minutes, got tears in her eyes as she said that is was so rare to feel so much love and support in a room in that situation. To his girls, that much love and support was not unusual at all – it was a reflection of his spirit and Jesus’ love shining through him. Ernie was laid to rest by his family at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetary in Dixon, CA.