Duane Ernst

 Sibley, IA             Duane Ernst, age 83 of Sibley, IA died on Monday, December 7, 2015 at the Country View Manor in Sibley, IA.             Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 12th at the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley, with Reverend Terry Simm officiating.              Military honor will be presented by the George E. Mudge American Legion Post No. 324.             Inurnment will take place later this spring.             Visitation will be Saturday, December 12th from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley.             Richard Duane Ernst was born on June 29, 1932 on the family farm near Sibley, the son of Reiner John and Anna Rose (Hobbie) Ernst.  He grew up in Osceola County and attended country school at Holman #8 and Sibley High School through the tenth grade.  He entered the United States Army on March 10, 1953 and was honorably discharged on February 16, 1955.  Duane was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska and worked as a high speed radio operator.  On November 1, 1955, Duane was united in marriage to Esther Elizabeth Terpstra in White, South Dakota.  They farmed southwest of Sibley and eventually moved to home place, one mile further west.  Duane was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley for fifty-five years and served as Elder, Deacon, and Trustee and also Married Group.  He loved welding and helping people.  He especially enjoyed hunting with his cousins from South Dakota.  He liked to travel and took several special trips to Jamaica, South Carolina and across Wisconsin and to California.  Duane was a people person and could sit and visit with anyone for hours.  He was always interested in others.  He will be greatly missed.             Duane is survived by his wife of sixty years, Esther Ernst of Sibley, IA; two children:  Larry (Kathleen) Ernst and their son, Mytchell Ernst of Charleston, SC and Linda (Jeffrey) Draayers and their children, Anna and Alec Draayers of Milwaukee, WI.             He was preceded in death by his parents, Reiner and Anna Ernst; and numerous uncles and aunts.