Ernest L. Ziegler - 1989

     Funeral services for Colorado Springs resident Ernest (Ernie) Lee Ziegler were held Saturday, Feb. 11, 1989 at 10 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington with Pastor David Ahlman.  A memorial service was on Thursday, P.M., Feb. 9, at the Swan/Law Chapel in Colorado Springs with Pastor David Windell of St. Luke's Lutheran Church of Colorado Springs officiating.

Ernie Ziegler, 55, was born July 15, 1933.  He died Feb. 6 1989 at this home in Colorado Springs.  He was retired from the U.S. Navy, serving from 1953 to 1978.  At the time of his retirement, he was an E-7 Chief Petty Officer in the Seabees.  During Ernie's 25 1/2 years that he served in the U.S. Navy, he spend several term hitches at the South Pole, Antarctica, on the expedition known as "Operation Deep Freeze".  He was on Mobile Construction Battalion Six and Cargo Handling Battalion One in the U.S.S. Army Aviation Detachment of U.S.S. Burton Sound.  He served in the Vietnam war and in the Aleutian Islands off the Alaskan coast.  He was also stationed in Athens, Greece; Naples, Italy and at Cecil Field Naval Air Station in Florida with San Diego, Calif. induction. After honorary discharge, Ernie lived at Oxnard, Calif. with his family and worked for the city as a Housing Building Inspector.  In 1982 he moved to Colorado Springs and was employed with C. & C. Sand Co., until ill health forced his retirmenet [sic] in 1987.  he lived at 2115 Rusty Hinge for eight years.

Ernie loved people and was especially fond of little children and pets.  He tok [sic] exceptional pride in his home yard and rock terraced garden and flowers.  His interests and hobbies were many after he retired, including bowling, stained glass cutting and wood carving.  He also had built a unique outdoor fish pond where he had several varieties of fish.

Ernie was born and lived on a farm northeast of Bethune.  His parents were Otto R. Ziegler and Hilda (Adolf) Ziegler.  His father preceded him in death in January of 1983.  he was baptized and confirmed in the Immanuel Lutheran Church in the settlement north of Bethune.  He graduated from Bethune High School with the class of 1951.  He also attended Colorado University at Fort Collins before joining the Navy.

Ernest was married to Joanne Clements on July 4, 1977 at Las Vegas, Nev.  She and their daughters, Marlene remain at the home in Colorado Springs.  Other survivors include daughters, Lilly Curtis and Cathy Ziegler of Oxnard, CA; One brother, Don Ziegler of Colorado Springs; one sister Darlene Hendricks of Colorado Springs and a host of relatives and friends.