Dr. Ernest Serrano

Dr. Ernest Serrano, 83, of Fort Smith, passed away on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. He was born on June 29, 1940 in Charlottesville, VA to the late Ernest N. and Mary Burgess Serrano. Ernest attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1958-1962 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Major in Chemistry. From 1962-1966 Ernest attended the University of Florida, graduating with a Doctorate in Medicine. After medical school, he served his internship and residency in internal medicine at Georgia Regents University. In 1968, Ernest joined the Navy and was commissioned a Lieutenant and served until 1970, and discharged to the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Lt. Commander.

After his service in the Navy, Ernest served a year in private practice in family medicine in Hollywood, Florida, before going on to his Neurology residency at the University of Florida Health, Shands Regional Medical Center in Gainesville. In 1974, he went into private practice, General Neurology in Santa Rosa, CA, and then moved to Fort Smith in 1975 to practice Neurology at Holt-Krock Clinic, where he retired from his practice in 2000. From 2015 to the present, Ernest was employed as contract physician by CenseoHealth of Dallas, TX.

His credentials included the National Board of Medical Examiners in 1967, named Fellow of American College of Physicians in 1977, certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 1978, the American Board of Electroencephalography certified in May 1978, named Fellow of The American Academy of Neurology in 1979 and named Senior Member of AAN in 2000.

Ernest loved life and staying active. He was an expert skeet shooter and enjoyed practicing gunsmithing. Prior to going into the Navy, he planned to try out for the Olympic skeet shooting competition, but his workload as a resident physician did not allow him time to pursue it.

He was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife Helen, of the home; his daughter, Kimberly Ann Serrano of New York City; his son, Michael Ayers of Fort Smith, along with his two grandchildren, Brittany Ayers and Braden (Perla) Ayers.

There will be a private graveside service at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral home of Fort Smith.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.