On July 27, 2021, heaven gained an amazing man, known by all as “Ernie.” He passed away unexpectedly, with loved ones by his side. Ernie was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, co-worker and friend. Very rarely in this life does anyone know a person that was as kind, loving, playful, calm, selfless, humble, patient, and hardworking as Ernie.
Ernie’s absolute favorite thing to do was to spend time with his family. He also enjoyed working on his ‘56 Chevy, gardening with his wife, doing special things for others, spending time at church and watching football with his feet up.
Ernie recently retired from Coastal, where he dedicated over 15 years of his life providing service to customers. So many people appreciated the good work and friendly spirit of Ernie. Before Coastal, he worked primarily in the automotive field as a Service Writer. During his tenure, he received recognition as a quality inspector and distinguished service advisor.
Ernie will be forever cherished by his wife of 54 years, Carolyn Lopez; children, Tony (Jill) Lopez, Angela (Mark) Durant, and Christa Lopez; grandchildren, Kylie Durant, Jonathan Lopez, Haylie Durant, Ryan Lopez, and Aiyanah Lopez-Mendez; siblings, Emily Gordon, Theresa (Tim) Golik, Alicia (Del) Wolfrum, Stella (David) Douglas, Connie (Russell) Morris, Dale Heddinghaus, and Jerry Heddinghaus; uncles and aunts, Sam Pulido, Mary Pulido, and Rey Pulido; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ernie was very close to the Lord and was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church for 55 years. A funeral Mass will be celebrated for Ernie on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 11:00 AM at St. Pius X Catholic Church, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Rosary will be recited prior to the Mass at 10:30 AM. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the Mass, with final resting held at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery at 1:30 PM.