John Joseph Ernst III, M.D.

John Joseph Ernst, III, M.D. died on November 9, 2023, at the age of eighty-two. He was born in New Orleans on February 7, 1941, to the late Pauline James Ernst and John Joseph Ernst, Jr. John married the love of his life and best friend, Virginia Richmond, on June 19, 1965. He graduated from Jesuit High School in 1958, and as a pre-freshman, was honored to win the contest which named "Jayson" - the Blue Jay mascot. As an undergraduate at Tulane University, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Epsilon Delta premedical honor society. He graduated from Louisiana State University Medical School in 1965, where he served as president of Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity. He was commissioned as an Assistant Surgeon by the U.S. Public Health Service and assigned to the U.S. Public Health Hospital, Savannah from 1966-1968. John thereafter returned to New Orleans to complete consecutive fellowships in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation Hospital. John was loved by his many patients he served over six decades of practice, as well as his colleagues in health care. A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, he served as a board member of the foundation of Touro Infirmary, where he was instrumental in founding the Wellness Center, was a member of the Judah Touro Society, as well as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Tulane Medical School. John was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia, and survived by his daughter Virginia Verret de Marigny Ernst Dildy and her husband, John R. Dildy, son John Joseph Ernst, IV, and niece, Kim Ernst. He loved his Dildy family, Ernst, Burck, and Richmond families, and Walsdorf cousins in San Antonio. He was a gifted raconteur who enjoyed regaling and entertaining friends with colorful stories about his family history and his travel adventures and escapades with Virginia. Always the dapper dresser, John and Virginia loved nothing more than to don formal dress and attend a ball. An ardent supporter of historic preservation, he was proud to live in a historic house named Anthemion, which was generously shared, hosting numerous events for many friends and organizations. John had a wonderful sense of humor and claimed credit for creating the phrase “Preservationists keep it up longer!” A renaissance man in the truest sense, his past times included horticulture, stamp collecting, and painting, having been trained by Ida Kohlmeyer. John was a member of many civic and social organizations, including the School of Design, Ambassador Club, Alpine Club, and the Royal Society of St. George. He was a founding member of, and subsequently served as President of the Preservation Resource Center and served for many years on the Historic District Landmarks Commission, including a term as Chairman. He was a charter member of the Saint Charles Avenue Committee, serving as President from 1973-1975. Additional memberships include the L’Hermitage Foundation, Friends of the Cabildo, Save Our Cemeteries, WYES, Bureau of Governmental Research, and the Philalectic Society of America. John was a committed Roman Catholic and supporter of the Jesuits, which loomed large in his life and family. His daughter and son-in-law would like to thank his caregivers at Touro and express special appreciation to Lillian Samardzija, Drs. Bryan and Kristen Payne, Dr. and Mrs. John Morrison, Dr. Frank Wilklow, Dr. Inderdeep S. Gakhal, Dr. Dedric J. Clarke, and Dr. Michael Adinolfi. Visitation will be held at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 Saint Charles Avenue in New Orleans on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at noon, Father Mark E. Thibodeaux, S.J. officiating. The service will also be available at https://www.youtube.com/@HNJChurchNewOrleans. Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home oversees arrangements. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the “Our City, Our Cathedral Campaign” for the Saint Louis Cathedral or the Holy Name of Jesus “Foundations for our Future Campaign.”