Saratoga News

Obituary

Marie Catherine Ernes

Marie Catherine Ernes was set to celebrate her 100th birthday when she passed away last week. Writer Cristy Shauck had interviewed her for an article on the occasion of her 100th birthday. --Editor

By Cristy Shauck

Marie Catherine Ernes was such a speedy typist that makers of the new-fangled machine asked her to tour the country demonstrating her 100-words-per-minute technique. But this was the year 1911, and Mama refused to allow the 15-year-old to go off on her own.

After high-school graduation, Marie left New Rochelle, New York, and headed for the city of New York, where she worked as a secretary in a silk company.

During World War I, Marie aided the war effort as a secretary in a Naval shipyard, and she recalled paying a 5-cent toll to cross the Brooklyn Bridge to get to work.

When the war ended, Marie spent 25 years as a legal secretary, then moved back to New Rochelle to work as a medical secretary for the city for another 20 years.

Marie never married. Her mother was often ill, and although she had two younger brothers, Ed and John, Marie cared for their mother. Marie outlived her siblings.

Famous for her cooking talent, Marie enjoyed good food; she was especially fond of steak and a baked potato. She enjoyed an occasional glass of wine or champagne for a special celebration. She never smoked.

As an adult, Marie made up for the lost travel opportunity that Mama had forbidden by visiting Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Canada.

Affectionately called Aunt ReRe, Marie visited her nephew Jack Ernes and his family in Saratoga many times and moved in with them in 1990. Shortly thereafter, she broke her second hip and moved to Our Lady of Fatima Villa, a nursing facility.

Until she left New Rochelle, Marie was an active member of the Catholic Woman's Club and AARP.

"She was a secretary for AARP for a long time," said Linnea Ernes, Jack's wife. "As a young woman, she sewed her own clothes by hand and did a beautiful job," Ernes added.

Born on Sept. 14, 1896, Marie passed away on Aug. 22, three weeks shy of her 100th birthday. In addition to her nephew, Jack, and his wife, Linnea, Marie is survived by four nieces and nephews and ten grandnieces and grandnephews.

"She was always in a good mood, always smiling," said Our Lady of Fatima program director Debbie Nielson.