Obituary for Ernest R Shealy
Ernest Shealy
11/27/1936 ~ 2/23/2023
As big as a man can be in life, heart, and home; Ernest Shealy was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, whose qualities of warmth, charm, freedom, and honesty were loved by all.
Ernest died on February 23, 2023 at his home in La Veta, Colorado at age 86, his wife Judith by his side.
Born at his family home in Los Angeles, CA on November 27, 1936, Ernest Russell Shealy was the son of Frank H. Shealy and Mabel Starr Shealy. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, Class of 1955, and went on to serve in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959 with the 806th SUPRON (SAC) division–beginning a lifelong adventure of travel to many different countries.
Ernest played high school football and semi-pro for a year with the Los Angeles Rhinos, then a bit of pro ball, but soon returned home to Los Angeles to get what he described as “a real job.” In 1969 he was hired to that real job as a foreman for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, where he oversaw a crew of forty.
Ernest married Barbara Seawell in 1971. They lived happily in Echo Park with their three daughters Kristin, Dana, and Tara. He took early retirement in 1990 to travel with Barbara to Kamakura, Japan, where she taught English as a second language, returning to their Echo Park home a year later. In 1995, Ernest was widowed when Barbara lost a five year fight with cancer.
Ernest met his later-in-life love Judith Baker Montano at a dance while visiting relatives in La Veta, Colorado. They started dancing together and just never stopped. Ernest and Judith married in 1996 and turned twenty-seven years into many lifetimes of adventure, travel, and love. Through Judith's work as a fibre artist, they travelled several times to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, England, Europe, and throughout the United States. Everywhere Ernest travelled, he made wonderful friends who often visited La Veta, falling in love with the beautiful valley.
In 2001, after several years of living between Los Angeles, La Veta, and abroad, Ernest and Judith restored an old heritage cottage in La Veta, turning it into a permanent home and gathering place for family from all over the world.
When asked about his hobbies, Ernest would reply, "jazz, dancing, gardening, and family."
His family included a menagerie of rescued cats and dogs, the odd skunk, fox, and raccoon.
Ernest had a big heart and was a beloved icon in La Veta, where he was always willing to help friends and neighbours. He volunteered to make the cement memorial stones for the courtyard of the La Veta School of the Arts and helped create the cement bench in the town park. At eighty-three years old, he became a member of La Veta Trails and put in countless hours mitigating the river after the Spring fire.
In addition to his parents Mabel and Frank Shealy, he is predeceased by his first wife Barbara Shealy, his sister Frankye Johnson, brother Stanley Shealy, brother Peter Starr, son-in-law Jim Szilagyi, and brother-in-law Brent Seawell.
Survivors are his wife Judith Baker Montano, of La Veta, CO; daughters Kristin Szilagyi of Los Angeles, CA, Dana Whitfield and husband Eric of Burbank, CA, Tara Ohta and husband Yoichi of Los Angeles, CA and Yokohama, Japan, Madeleine Morack and husband Tony of Huntington Woods, MI; son Jason Montano and wife LeighAnna MacFadden of Oakland, CA; six grandchildren, Nicole Szilagyi Conderas, Rie Ohta Gordon, Gen Ohta, Kelse Whitfield, Paloma Montano, and River Anne Morack; one great-granddaughter, Meyra Ohta Gordon; daughters-in-law Brenda Montano and Nicole Boucher; sister Wanda Washington and husband Lawson of Los Angeles, CA; brother Paul Shealy and wife Linda of Wadell, AZ; brother Carl Shealy and wife Barbara of Lancaster, CA; sister-in-law Barbara “Babs” Seawell of La Veta, CO; sister-in-law Karen Osatchuck and husband Dan of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; sister-in-law Christine Nyberg and husband Gary of Champions, Alberta, Canada; brother-in-law Jim Baker and wife Karen of Stavely, Alberta, Canada; brother-in-law Kevin Seawell and wife Debby of Sequim, WA.
In place of flowers, those who wish to remember Ernest may make donations in his name to La Veta Trails (https://lavetatrails.org/) and the Southern Colorado Spay and Neuter Clinic of Pueblo, CO (https://www.socospay.com/).
A special memorial site has been created online and is accessible using the following link : https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/6DiBwL7F/ernestshealy People can leave as many comments, stories and photographs as they wish.
11/27/1936 ~ 2/23/2023
As big as a man can be in life, heart, and home; Ernest Shealy was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, whose qualities of warmth, charm, freedom, and honesty were loved by all.
Ernest died on February 23, 2023 at his home in La Veta, Colorado at age 86, his wife Judith by his side.
Born at his family home in Los Angeles, CA on November 27, 1936, Ernest Russell Shealy was the son of Frank H. Shealy and Mabel Starr Shealy. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, Class of 1955, and went on to serve in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959 with the 806th SUPRON (SAC) division–beginning a lifelong adventure of travel to many different countries.
Ernest played high school football and semi-pro for a year with the Los Angeles Rhinos, then a bit of pro ball, but soon returned home to Los Angeles to get what he described as “a real job.” In 1969 he was hired to that real job as a foreman for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, where he oversaw a crew of forty.
Ernest married Barbara Seawell in 1971. They lived happily in Echo Park with their three daughters Kristin, Dana, and Tara. He took early retirement in 1990 to travel with Barbara to Kamakura, Japan, where she taught English as a second language, returning to their Echo Park home a year later. In 1995, Ernest was widowed when Barbara lost a five year fight with cancer.
Ernest met his later-in-life love Judith Baker Montano at a dance while visiting relatives in La Veta, Colorado. They started dancing together and just never stopped. Ernest and Judith married in 1996 and turned twenty-seven years into many lifetimes of adventure, travel, and love. Through Judith's work as a fibre artist, they travelled several times to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, England, Europe, and throughout the United States. Everywhere Ernest travelled, he made wonderful friends who often visited La Veta, falling in love with the beautiful valley.
In 2001, after several years of living between Los Angeles, La Veta, and abroad, Ernest and Judith restored an old heritage cottage in La Veta, turning it into a permanent home and gathering place for family from all over the world.
When asked about his hobbies, Ernest would reply, "jazz, dancing, gardening, and family."
His family included a menagerie of rescued cats and dogs, the odd skunk, fox, and raccoon.
Ernest had a big heart and was a beloved icon in La Veta, where he was always willing to help friends and neighbours. He volunteered to make the cement memorial stones for the courtyard of the La Veta School of the Arts and helped create the cement bench in the town park. At eighty-three years old, he became a member of La Veta Trails and put in countless hours mitigating the river after the Spring fire.
In addition to his parents Mabel and Frank Shealy, he is predeceased by his first wife Barbara Shealy, his sister Frankye Johnson, brother Stanley Shealy, brother Peter Starr, son-in-law Jim Szilagyi, and brother-in-law Brent Seawell.
Survivors are his wife Judith Baker Montano, of La Veta, CO; daughters Kristin Szilagyi of Los Angeles, CA, Dana Whitfield and husband Eric of Burbank, CA, Tara Ohta and husband Yoichi of Los Angeles, CA and Yokohama, Japan, Madeleine Morack and husband Tony of Huntington Woods, MI; son Jason Montano and wife LeighAnna MacFadden of Oakland, CA; six grandchildren, Nicole Szilagyi Conderas, Rie Ohta Gordon, Gen Ohta, Kelse Whitfield, Paloma Montano, and River Anne Morack; one great-granddaughter, Meyra Ohta Gordon; daughters-in-law Brenda Montano and Nicole Boucher; sister Wanda Washington and husband Lawson of Los Angeles, CA; brother Paul Shealy and wife Linda of Wadell, AZ; brother Carl Shealy and wife Barbara of Lancaster, CA; sister-in-law Barbara “Babs” Seawell of La Veta, CO; sister-in-law Karen Osatchuck and husband Dan of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; sister-in-law Christine Nyberg and husband Gary of Champions, Alberta, Canada; brother-in-law Jim Baker and wife Karen of Stavely, Alberta, Canada; brother-in-law Kevin Seawell and wife Debby of Sequim, WA.
In place of flowers, those who wish to remember Ernest may make donations in his name to La Veta Trails (https://lavetatrails.org/) and the Southern Colorado Spay and Neuter Clinic of Pueblo, CO (https://www.socospay.com/).
A special memorial site has been created online and is accessible using the following link : https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/6DiBwL7F/ernestshealy People can leave as many comments, stories and photographs as they wish.