John "Jack" Ehrnst

John “Jack” H. Ehrnst, age 82, of Frazee, MN, passed away at his home on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 AM, Saturday, April 7, 2018, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.  Burial will be made at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Frazee following the service.

John was born June 29, 1935, in Holdingford, MN, to Ado and Clara (Ulschmid) Ehrnst.  He grew up in Foley, MN, where he graduated from Foley High School with the class of 1953.  He was inducted into the Foley Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990, for his participation in multiple high school sports. He attended college where he studied coaching and teaching.   In 1957, John enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served until his honorable discharge in 1960.  During his service, he met Freda Bouchard at a dance in Maine.  The couple married September 5, 1959, in Ft. Fairfield, Maine.  The couple raised 4 children.  They lived in Presque Isle, Maine until 1962, then made their home in Detroit Lakes, eventually moving to their home in Frazee.  John and Freda were avid bowlers and enjoyed league bowling for many years. John drove truck at Daggett Truck Line for 18 years, then Ryder Trucking Company until his retirement in 1997.

John loved to fish, especially with his friend, Barney Furey, tending his large vegetable garden, deer hunting with his sons, and he loved his pet cats.  He was strong in his faith and was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  He also took great joy in helping care for the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery and took the care in planting trees you see there today.

John is survived by his 4 children: Michael Ehrnst of Detroit Lakes, Mark Ehrnst of Omaha, NE, Oscar Ehrnst of St. Cloud, MN, and Tonia (Tory) Jacobson of Glyndon, MN; 7 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; 3 sisters: Mary Bonstrom of Minneapolis, MN, Judy (Biff) Freed of Sheridan, WY, Joyce Wagenius of Holmes City, MN; 1 brother, Nick Ehrnst of Detroit Lakes, MN; numerous nieces and nephews.

John is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Freda; sister, Marg Marx; brother, Ado Ehrnst Jr.; brothers-in-law, Orlin “Bones” Bonstrom, Terry Wagenius; and sister-in-law, Sharon Ehrnst.