John D. Ernster

Age 83 of St. Paul, passed away on April 21, 2026.

Preceded in death by parents, Edward and Stella; brother, Gerald; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Ernster.

Survived by wife, Marie, (neé Thill); children, Elizabeth Ruddock, Patrick (Sherry), Laura Ernster, Craig, Annemarie (Shane) Fulfer, Joseph Sr. (Brianna Hudson), and Brittany Ernster (Bryan Ganzer); grandchildren, Brandonlee, Tony, Jayce, Gabriella, Aaron, Iyana, Joseph Jr., Andrew, Christopher, Makenzie, and Natalie; brothers, Donald (Dee), Edward, and Paul (Linda); and sister-in-law, Joan Ernster.

John was born at Bethesda Hospital in 1943, the youngest of five boys, and raised in the Frogtown neighborhood. He was a 13-year Aggie Alumni of St. Agnes School, where he grew his love for athletics. John graduated from the Engineering Program at the U of M Twin Cities in December of 1965. In his career, he spent time working for Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, CA in January of 1966. John married his wife, Marie (Thill), in 1967 in MN and worked for the Highway Department at MNDOT. John ended his long career journey at the MN DNR as a Head Administrator in the Engineering Division, retiring from there in April 2000. 

John and his wife Marie had seven children and 13 grandchildren. John had many passions in life, including athletics, spending time at the family cabin, camping, fishing, hunting, playing pranks, swimming, traveling, cars, airplanes, building model airplanes, being an avid historian of St. Agnes Church and Frogtown, and storytelling. 

Mass of Christian Burial 11:00 AM Monday, May 4 at The Church of St. Agnes, 548 Lafond Ave., St. Paul. Visitation 2-5 PM Sunday, May 3 at Mueller-Bies Funeral Home-Roseville, 2130 N. Dale St. and from 10-11 AM Monday at the church. Interment Roselawn Cemetery.

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