Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Wattenbarger, Ernest February 28, 2005 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: K T bluewolf@onemain.com March 3, 2005, 9:18 pm The Bakersfield Californian Ernest Wattenbarger Jan. 3, 1913 - Feb. 28, 2005 Visitation for Ernest Wattenbarger will be held at Greenlawn Memorial Chapel, 3700 River Blvd., Thursday 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Graveside will be on Friday, March 4th at 12:00 noon. A celebration of life will be held at St. Marks United Methodist Church, 1510 McCray St., on Friday, March 4th at 10:00 a.m. Ernest Wattenbarger passed away at the age of 92 at his home on February 28, 2005 after a lengthy illness with Alzheimers. Ernest was born on January 3, 1913 to J.C. and Mamie Wattenbarger in McMinn County, Tennessee. Ernest received a B.S. degree from U.C. Davis and a Masters from U.C. Berkeley. He taught agriculture at Cal Poly San Luis, Tulare High School and Bakersfield High School. He was appointed by the Governor of California to be the Fresno County Farm Advisor. For 32 years he owned a citrus ranch in Lindsay. He left teaching in 1948 to go into the lumber and hardware business (J.C. Wattenbarger and Sons, Inc.) with his parents and his brother, Lloyd. He helped many people start in business by granting them credit on a mere handshake. Ernest was very active in the community. He was a founding director of American National Bank. For 30 years he served on the board of the Better Business Bureau and the Merchants Association. In 1989, he was listed in Whos Who In California. Ernest was a charter member of Oildale Kiwanis and had 45 years of perfect attendance. While in Kiwanis, he was President, Lieutenant Governor, and received the Man of the Year Award. In 1968 and 1999 he was awarded the Hershell Helman Award. He was honored by Kiwanis International as a Life Member. He formed National Properties with his son, Don, subdividing and building homes. For over 50 years he was a member of St. Marks United Methodist Church and sang in the choir. He enjoyed fishing, camping trips, playing the piano, dancing, genealogy and tending to his prized roses. Ernest was preceded in death by his wife, Audene in 1972, his parents J.C. and Mamie Wattenbarger and his brothers Jim and Lloyd. He leaves six children and their spouses: Shirley and Fred Simpson, Don and Connie Wattenbarger, Betty and Frank Lowder, Jill and Steve Robinson, all of Bakersfield, Jan and Richard Lasell of Inyokern and Joy and Earl Machowsky of Ridgecrest. He also leaves 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. The family wishes to express their gratitude to his caregivers Betty Stafford and Edna White who so lovingly cared for him for many years. The pallbearers will be his grandsons Kent Crenshaw, Kurt Crenshaw, John Frisbie, Bryan Machowsky, Jacob Machowsky, Brad Robinson, Steven Ernest Robinson, Jason Wattenbarger and Scott Wattenbarger. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made in memory of Ernest to St. Marks United Methodist Church, the Alzheimers Association or to a charity of your choice. Greenlawn Mortuary Funeral Directors Additional Comments: Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/kern/obits/gob5996wattenba.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb