Ernest Obermaier
August 23, 1907 - February 22, 2006
Obituary
Ernest Obermaier was 98.5 years old, and was born on August 23, 1907 in Ergoldsbach, Germany. He passed away peacefully on February 22, 2006 surrounded by family. He immigrated to America in 1928 and was very proud of his American citizenship. He was equally proud of his Bavarian heritage. He kept in close contact with his family in Germany, making many trips to Ergoldsbach over the years and hosting family members who came to visit in the United States. His parents were Adolf and Bertha Obermaier. He was the first of 6 children. His two brothers and two sisters, Alois, Heine, Mary and Emma have all passed. His sister Frieda Rosengren lives in Des Moines, Washington.
Ernest is survived by his loving family Dolores Bud Anthony, Ernie Obermaier and Dan Sandra Obermaier; grandchildren Lori Doug Williams, Scott Carol Anthony, Brian, Chris Anthony, Paul DeCamp, Jeff DeCamp, Sara Dirk Huebner, and Karly Obermaier; great grandchildren April Williams, Maria Williams, Rob Anthony, Greg Anthony, Marissa Anthony and Brian Anthony Jr.; sister Frieda Rosengren, many nieces and nephews, and a large and much loved extended family in Germany. He was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Gilda Obermaier, an infant son Ernest Joseph and a daughter Gilda DeCamp.
His greatest love was his family, his machine shop in Ballard and playing musical instruments. He delighted gathering with family often, especially so during the summers at the family cabins on Hood Canal. His days at Hood Canal were spent swimming and water skiing, which he learned to do in his sixties and continued to do through his seventies. He enjoyed diving head first in to the sometimes chilly water of the Canal and then exclaiming for all to hear; “Now that is invigorating!” In the evenings he would entertain the family with his Zither music and singing German songs, and his grandchildren could always count on bedtime stories and fairytales from Germany. No family gathering was ever complete without a “little sip of beer,” and the raising of the glasses for the “Prost.”
He was a machinist, having learned the trade as a young boy in Germany. In the early 1950’s he opened “Obermaier Machine Works” in Ballard, Washington. His machine shop and the work he accomplished there was a great source of pride for him. His love of the trade kept him going to his shop daily well in to his eighties. He was especially pleased with the Crab Shell Grinder which he designed and sold to local commercial fisherman in Ballard.
Ernest also loved playing musical instruments of all types. Although his favorite instrument was the Zither, which he learned to play at 7 years of age, he also played the Mandolin, the Organ and the Harmonica. He was often heard by the summer residents of Hood Canal playing his Harmonica on his very early morning walks. In Germany he played in a Zither Club. In America he played with The Bavarian Village Band where he delighted in performing throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Ernest also loved to travel. When he was 16 years old, he went on his first “Wandershaft,” or “Journey,” with his two best friends from Ergoldsbach. They traveled throughout Germany for one year on foot, while carrying their Mandolins, and earned room and board by performing at Inns along their route. One of his biggest journeys was immigrating to America in 1928, where he soon met and married Gilda Schwab Obermaier. Together they traveled many times to Germany and surrounding countries. His travels also included trips to Alaska, Hawaii and Israel.
Ernest spent the final 6 years of his life at The Weatherly Inn in Tacoma, Washington. The family would like to thank the management and staff of The Weatherly Inn for providing such exemplary care of him, and particularly so after the passing of his wife, Gilda. His grieving was softened by their constant and diligent attention to his well being.
Ernest was the true patriarch of his family. He was a gentle, but strong force behind us all. His influence was deep and profound. His passing leaves us with aching hearts, but we will be eternally grateful for his legacy of love and family. Our memories of him are so abundant that he will be with us each and every day. We love you Ernest.
Please join the family for viewing and a celebration of his life from 9:00 – 12:00 at Bonney Watson in Federal Way, Washington, followed by graveside services at 2:00 at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery in Edmonds, Washington.
It was a great time for us – me, my husband Fritz, our children Christine and Matthias – visiting him where he lives, my best and beloved Uncle Ernest. Answering my first letters, written in English, was the great opportunity for me to know him, his family and their way of life. I still can hear him talking about my “dimples”.
Lieber Onkel Ernst, ruhe in Frieden.
I was privileged to have known Ernie and we shared some great times and conversations over coffee. He will be missed but never forgotten.
Ernst was a good wine maker, a good landlord, and a good guy.
We will always think of him fondly.
It was an honor and a pleasure to have known and cared for Ernie. He was such a fixture here at the Weatherly. I will miss him greatly. My sincerest condolences to all of Ernie’s family and friends.
We, the Hellermann Family – Walter, Rosemarie, Angela, and Anthony – along with Mathilde Grassl – wish to extend our condolences and sympathy to Mr. Obermaier’s Family. We loved Uncle Ernst dearly. He was a wonderful man. His Family is in our prayers. “O Herr, gib Ihm die ewige Ruhe.”
Mit liebe und Auf Wiedersehen.
Kathie Beckenbauer
Our loving thoughts are with you all. We shall deeply cherish the memories of your wonderful Father. Ernst was a charming, delightful, spirited gentleman. Auf wiedersehen dear one.
I was deeply saddened to hear about Mr.Obermaier’s passing. He was a generous and gregarious man who valued family and friends above all else. He was also a genuine character with a glint in his eye always ready for a joke. He will surely be missed by those who had the opportunity of knowing him. My deepest condolances to his family.
We’re thinking of the Obermaier Clan and hope time will help to ease your sorrow.
I met Ernie when he joined our Bavarian Village Band as our one and only zither player. He was an inspiration to all of us in the band: his musicianship, his sense of humor, his unfailing courtesy, his dependability and more. He taught us how to play Bavarian music the way it was meant to be played. I admired Ernie, too, for his great and inquiring mind. He was a joy to be around. I loved visiting him and Gilda in their Richmond Highlands home not so far from where my mother grew up where we would discuss business, politics, music, you name it–while sipping wine or beer and enjoying Gilda’s treats. And then when that was done, Ernie and I would play duets, he on his zither, and I on my horn. When he retired from the Band, the Band lost a lot of its spark. Of course, we could never replace him. Zither players of his calibre are scarce as hen’s teeth in this country. I consider it one of the great privileges of my life to have known Ernie and Gilda and their wonderful family, and they will live in my memory.
Our thoughts are with all of you. The story of “Grandpa” is wonderful. Though I never met him in person, I feel like I have known him for years through Lori’s loving stories and memories.
I know he will be missed by all of you.
With love
Debbie & Brian Heim
The first time when Uncle Ernst visited us in Germany, we had a wonderful time together with singing and playing accordeon and zither. This time I was a little girl and I always loved to hear the american stories. 15 years later at my honeymoon with my husband Martin we went to Seattle to visit our lovely family, and Uncle Ernst told us, we only should talk to him in Bavarian, because he loves to hear this language!!!! We had so much fun together and we are very happy that our children Sarah and Julian met this wonderful man also in the year 2001!!! We will never forget him and I hope he will see my grandpa Alois in heaven.
Lieber Onkel Ernst, der Friede sei mit Dir.
GRANDPA
By Brian
As we arrive here today to say goodbye to my Grandpa we must remember that he lived a very long and happy life. I think his life and death were just as he wanted it. He enjoyed 98.5 years of health, wealth and happiness with many family and friends. His death was sudden, short, and painless and he was surrounded by family to the end.
So now is the time for reflection. It is now our turn to keep his spirit and enthusiasm for life alive and well so that we can pass down his memories and thoughts to our generation. I have far more fond thoughts and memories of Grandpa than I have time to explain them. However it would be a mistake not to mention some of them.
First and foremost are all the memories and good times we shared at the cabin. I’ll never forget all the times Grandpa woke us up in the very early morning hours while chopping wood for the fireplace. Grandpa also spent much time with me at the canal swimming, taking me rowing, taking me for boat rides, riding bikes, going on walks, playing card games, telling stories, sun bathing, drinking beer, laughing, cussing and talking politics. Grandpa would even let me sit on his lap in the car and drive to the candy store long before I was able to drive. Evenings were times to listen to Grandpa play music while we ate pounds of salami and cheese provided by Grandma.
I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Hawaii with Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa. I laugh to this day thinking of how Grandpa liked to play in the big surf with me and how those huge waves would toss us onto the beach leaving sand in our pants and smiles on our faces as Grandpa’s teeth were falling out from getting pounded by the waves. Grandpa could not get over the palm trees either. I think he stopped and stared up at every one of them with amazement as he would say, “would you look at that…….son of a gun”. I remember when Grandpa bought his Mercedes Benz. It seemed like we all got to help pick out the colors and model as we poured over the brochures together. That was a big deal to me.
As I got older my visits to their house turned into trips out to dinner and desert at home followed by a beer or two, story telling, a discussion on engines or anything mechanical, a history lesson, some cussing and talking politics. He always asked about my work at Boeing and often knew as much or more about the building of airplanes than I did. Grandpa always played his zither or the organ to round out the visits.
As they moved to the Weatherly Inn my visits were more about stories and history lessons, followed by some harmonica music, organ music or he would play the zither. Then we would have the beer or two followed by some cussing and talking politics. On occasion Marissa would bring her flute and Grandpa would play the organ to her flute always encouraging her to play another song. Some of my favorites were the Christmas music they played.
Grandpa was a big part of my life and has left me with many great memories and stories that I plan to pass down to my own kids. I was lucky enough to be able to share 41 years of my life with him. He has taught me much about history, story telling, how to enjoy a beer or two, cussing and talking politics.
However, it is very important to remember that there was one person that helped make Grandpa the person he was. That would be Grandma. Grandma was always there for him and us. She was the person that allowed Grandpa to have the time to play music, go on walks, swim, drink beer, cuss and talk politics. Grandma was equally important in the equation. Together they were awesome grandparents. Together they provided me with great memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
And so it is today that I am forced to close the door on this happy part of my life. It is now time to take all the memories that Grandma and Grandpa provided and reflect on them and share them over and over with my family and friends. It will be forever difficult to talk about my Grandparents in the past tense. It will be forever easy to remember all the happy times and great memories these two people have given to me. They have touched the hearts and minds of many people. I thank them and commend them for all they have provided. They will be deeply missed in the physical sense but will live on in my heart and mind forever. I love them both and will never forget them. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for all that you are.
Love Always,
Brian
“Das schönste Denkmal, das ein Mensch bekommen kann, steht in den Herzen seiner Mitmenschen.”
Lieber Ernst, wir werden immer gerne an Dich denken, Ruhe in Frieden,
Loisl und Maria
I can´t remember the first time I met “Onkel Ernst” because I was a little girl at that time.
But I remember that he was a very kind and funny man.
He played cards with me every time I asked him to play and altough I was annoying him he played with me again and again.
And it was exactly the same procedure as I asked him to play zither for me. He always played the zither with pleasure then.
He called us Eppensteiner girls “Die vier runden Gsichterl” and I always have to laugh when I think about it.
I am so greatful and happy that I could meet Onkel Ernst once more in the year 2001 as I visited him in Amerika.
Lieber Onkel Ernst, machs guad, in Liebe, Susi