Ernest Ortiz was born and raised in Mission, TX, as the son of Ignacio and Beneranda Ortiz. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Rita Ortiz, his daughters: Belinda Garcia, Linda Frausto, and Rita Gracia. Ernest Ortiz had seven grandchildren: Andrea and Alejandro Garcia, Kevin and Alexandria Frausto, Eric Ortiz, Vanessa and Gabriel Gracia. The pallbearers will be Danny Garcia, Jaime Frausto, Roman Gracia, Kevin Frausto, Eric Ortiz, Alejandro Garcia, Gabriel Gracia and Ramon Ortiz.
Ernest married his wife Maria Rita Fernandez in Brownsville, TX. He is a former U.S. Army Sergeant veteran of World War II and was assigned to the 284th American Anti-Aircraft Battalion at the Mariana Islands in the Pacific. He worked for the Vaughn family in 1949 as a foreman and eventually relocated to the Palm Grove Plantation. This brought him to retire in 1996 from the National Audubon Society as a National Wildlife Game Warden after many years of service. As a civic-minded citizen, Ernest served as a precinct election judge. He also earned his private pilot license and served as a Second Lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol. Ernest dedicated his life to his family and is held with the utmost respect by all.
Visitation will take place on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 from 12pm to 10pm with a rosary at 7pm at Funeraria del Angel Rose Lawn. Funeral Mass on Thursday, October 11, 2018 at 10am at St. Luke Catholic Church located at 2800 Rockwell Dr, Brownsville, TX 78521 followed by a committal service to Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens located at 4464 Old Port Isabel Rd. Brownsville, TX 78526.
