Edna Ruth Ernsdorff

Edna Ruth Ernsdorff, age 95, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, neighbor, friend, and bridge player, peacefully left this world for heaven on Friday, March 22, 2019. She was at home on Bainbridge Island in the care of her family for the last two weeks after trying her darnedest to recover from a fall, and then from surgery, and finally, pneumonia. She was one tough gal, but the triple whammy was just too much. We sure will miss her.
Edna was born in the family farmhouse in Dallas, South Dakota on September 14, 1923, to James and Martha (Emme) Edwards. Edna was one of the middle kids of the ten... Five siblings (Allen, Mabel, Howard, Ernie, and Marie) preceded her to heaven. Four other siblings - Alvin, Verna Mae, Irma Jean and Dee - and a passel of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and -nephews are still scattered mostly over the plains.
The Edwards family is a strong and loving group. They had to be tough to survive the challenges of South Dakota farm life in the 20's, 30's and into the 40's... dust storms, illness and injury, cold cold winters, the Great Depression, and then World War 2. Edna and Mabel left South Dakota in 1943, taking the train to their new jobs in Hanford, Washington. The war ended not long after, and Edna lived briefly in Seattle before falling ill and returning to South Dakota for treatment of tuberculosis at a hospital in Hot Springs. After getting better, she moved to Spokane, Washington, to rejoin her sister Mabel. That's where she met her husband, Dick, who was attending Washington State College. They were married in 1956, and lived in several locations for his job with the Bell Telephone Company, finally settling on Bainbridge Island in 1969 with their three kids.
Edna may have left her native farm-country behind, but we, her family and friends, sure benefited from the farm-girl skills she brought with her. We all enjoyed her bread, pies, garden produce, and home-cooked meals. Her potato salad and sweet pickles are legendary. And her hand-stitched quilts and knit sweaters are true marvels. She also enthusiastically participated in salt-water "hunting" and gathering: She loved to fish for salmon, dig clams, and clean and cook whatever was brought home... crab, cod, shrimp, even squid! Her abiding passion became bridge, which she played three times a week for many many years, reluctantly cutting down to twice a week in recent years. It must also be noted that she was an avid Mariners and Seahawks fan, amazing us all with her knowledge of the players and the games.
Edna is survived by her husband of 62 years, Dick, on Bainbridge Island: daughter Susan of Twisp, Washington; sons Don (wife Melinda) of Auburn, Washington and Gary (wife Kaia) of Mercer Island, Washington; grandkids Bryan, Michelle, Kevin, Finn and Beck; brother Alvin (Carma) of Carne, Nebraska; sisters Verna Mae of Veroqua, Wisconsin, Dee (Ralph) of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, and Irma Jean of Butte, Nebraska; and too many nieces and nephews and their kids to mention.
A memorial will be held Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. at the Bainbridge Senior Center. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Helpline House on Bainbridge or the Bainbridge Island Senior Center.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Helpline House on Bainbridge or the Bainbridge Island Senior Center.