Ernest Miller Briese

Ernie was born in Mingo Junction, Ohio. The family moved to Highland, California, when he was 12. Ernie was six years older than his only sibling Bob. At the age of 16, Ernie built his first model railroad using two Lionel O-27 freight train sets the boys were given for Christmas. Ernie never lost his interest in trains and while living in Santee built a garden (G gauge) that filled the yard and at Christmas added several other gauge railroads within the house. Children, friends, and relatives came and joined him in keeping the trains rolling. He maintained that hobby throughout his life and in July he discussed taking another trip on the train.

Ernie was the guy who when he decided to take on something, he gave it his all! If it was building a train setup, building or roofing a house, counseling or teaching school, fixing bikes or riding them, kayaks or canoes, religion or bookkeeping, reading or watching TV, he did it with GUSTO! He loved to eat and cook.

Ernie was active in church work at St Paul’s Methodist church when he was in high school. He graduated from San Bernardino High School where he played clarinet in the high school band. “Windy” was his nickname in high School and he loved the title and used it often. As you got to know him you realized that it was not just a play on his last name. He was a talker and storyteller. While at San Bernardino Valley Junior College, he obtained his local preacher’s license in anticipation of his desire to become a minister. Also, during that time, he, and Bob, under their Dad’s guidance, built the home in Highland that their Mom and Dad lived in until she moved to a retirement home in the late 1990’s. He graduated from University of Redlands with a BA in History. While there, he married Rae Ann Canoles. They moved to Boston so he could attend Boston University School of Theology. During his first year in seminary, he changed his mind about the ministry, and they returned to California. With the Draft looming, he enlisted in the Army and served in Korea as a medical corpsman. After completing his service, he returned and took a job as a counselor and later as a teacher with Juvenile Court system in San Bernardino. He, with support from Rae Ann, Mom, Dad and Bob, built their own home in Yucaipa. He and Rae Ann had three children, Debbie, Steven, and Denise. Debbie was born while Ernie was still in the Army working as an administrator at Ireland Army Hospital and nicknamed her his “little gold brick” because she was born at Fort Knox.

While working in the Juvenile Hall, he took classes and obtained his master’s degree in Education-a very exciting time for Ernie and the family. With his degree he began teaching in the Court Schools where he frequently took the kids and his kids on bike trips and camping excursions.

The family spent there summers traveling. In 1968 he led them on an extensive camping tour of Canada and Alaska in a Ford Econoline Van, spending an entire week on the Alaskan island of Sitka, and seeing the results of the 1964 earthquake in Alaska. He led them on fun adventures and souvenir hunts in the Canadian provinces and ferrying between Alaskan islands. In 1974, the whole family helped to build their own motor home and used it to travel Mexico and Central America, visiting many ancient ruins and drove all the way to Managua, Nicaragua, and back. Ernie led the family on many trips to Baja California and other places. The maps were always out planning.

Ernie was known as a go-to guy who was always thinking ways to help others. He was always ready for the next adventure for his kids and those in the Court Schools. Funding was always an issue and in at least one case he went to a Judge to ask for help. That Judge told him where and how to get funds need to support these excursions.

His children remember that he loved being a father and would do anything for or with them. He taught them how to survive and how to respect the land and even the right way to fall down. He extended his nurturing instinct to the countless teens in detention and later at the bike shop he trained kids to repair bikes. He believed that learning a skill and being treated with patience and fairness along the way helped many kids get on track and make a good start in life.

After more than 15 years working with kids in the Court system, he retired. He set up his own business as “Briese’s Schwinn Center” in Yucaipa. He became an avid bicyclist and participated in many long-distance road trips as a rider and mechanic for a Riverside bike group. In 1989, Rae Ann and Ernie divorced, and Ernie sold the business in 1991.

His last adventure began when Ernie met Eileen on one of these frequent trips down to San Diego to bike with a group called the Knicker Bikers. Ernie and Eileen went on several tours where they often partnered. Ernie was always willing to help anyone and often repaired bicycles. It was on the return air flight from a bike, ferry, and kayak trip to the San Juan Islands in Washington state that the relationship bonded at 40,000 feet. His next challenge was to learn the names and places of residence of Eileen’s family. Eileen’s son Joey, her Mother, seven sisters, and two brothers. They married in 1992 after he passed the test and settled in Santee, California.

His first project was helping Joey rehab the duplex he had purchased. While working together they bonded and a few years later Joey asked Ernie if he could take his last name. Ernie eagerly said yes. They went to court and adopted each other. Ernie was happy to have a second son.

He returned to teaching for a couple of years. He had his first heart attack one year and one day after they married. While recuperating he was building the railroad and remodeling the kitchen. He was good at remodeling homes - ours, and those of several family members. The last major project was an addition in 2006 & 7 (while recuperating from prostate cancer) to the Pine Valley cabin they purchased in 2003.

Although he decided against the ministry during his first year in seminary, he used his knowledge and devotion to the Lord in his later years to become a teacher in classes at Our Lady of Light Catholic Church in Descanso, California. In 2017 he suffered a major medical set back to his health from which here never fully recovered. It forced a move back to Santee from the cabin which had become his primary home. In 2018 he began assisting the Chaplin at the Veteran’s home in Chula Vista, and he found this work very rewarding. However due to COVID restrictions he was unable to continue his work. This stressed him greatly, as the time he spent there got him moving and gave him great satisfaction – in addition to providing many interest stories to tell.

He passed on August 21, 2020 while sitting in his favorite chair at home. He is survived by his wife Eileen, brother Bob, daughters Debbie, and Denise, sons & wives Steven & Susan and Joey & Mindi, grandchildren Taylor, Kimberly, and Jonathan, nephew Scott, and niece Sherrill Minch.

A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Light Catholic Church in Descanso on Saturday Sept.12 at 10 AM. Interment will be at Miramar National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Our Lady of Light CC or the Veterans Home of California-Chula Vista.