04/23/2026
Today we honour one of our founding members Dr. Alfred Ernst. Dr Ernst spent his life serving our community. We thank Betty-Lou, Mark, Myles and Murray for sharing him with our community which often meant sacrificing their own time with him. Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family today❤️
Obituary: Dr. Alfred Henry Ernst
1940 - 2026
Dr. Alfred Ernst passed away in Saskatoon, on April 5, 2026, at the age of 85 years. Alf will be lovingly remembered by his devoted wife, Betty Lou; three sons, Mark (Sharla), Miles (Louise) and Murray (Jannelle); grandchildren, Brendan (Alex), Kiara (Bryn) and Jordan Ernst, Ethan, Jackson (Jordyn), Liam (Teagan) and Cole Ernst, Peyton, Wyatt (Natalie) and Koy Ernst; sisters-in-law, Gladys Ernst and Linda Hubick; brother-in-law, John (Maryann) Armstrong; several nieces and nephews and many special friends.
He was predeceased by his parents, William and Elsa Ernst; brothers Fred, John, William, and Walter; sister Margaret Friberg; parents-in-law, Elmer and Laura Armstrong; sister-in-law Resa Armstrong and brother-in-law, Bill Hubick.
Alf was born in Rabbit Lake, SK in December of 1940 and was the youngest of six siblings. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, graduating from the College of Medicine, as a Physician, in 1966. He married Betty Lou Armstrong on July 30, 1966, and they would have celebrated 60 years of marriage this summer. They moved to Rosetown to begin his career in 1967, where Dr. Ernst spent his life serving the community, until his retirement in 2021. He regarded being a doctor as his highest honour and rarely turned anyone away, whether he was on-call or not. Many family dinners were spent with him on the phone, or at the hospital, tending to the needs of his patients. He was delighted by his most recent achievement, the Rosetown Citizen of the Year Award, that he shared with his friends and colleagues, Dr. David Ledding and Dr. Daniel Ledding, in the fall of 2025. Establishing the farm with his family was a dream come true for Alf, one that he longed to do, bringing him back to his farm roots. He truly loved his grandchildren, travelling near and far to attend their various school or sporting events.
If Alf wasn’t at the clinic or hospital, or covering a weekend locum, he could be found tending to his yard. He took great pride in his lush green lawn and manicured trees. After retirement, he enjoyed volunteering at the Thrift Store, puttering at the farm, coffee outings, visits with friends, and most importantly spending time with his family.
A sincere and special thank you to the Dr.’s, nurses and staff of both St. Paul’s Hospital Palliative Care and the Saskatchewan Cancer Clinic for the support and care provided to Alf and family.
A Celebration of Dr. Alfred Ernst’s Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Rosetown Alliance Church with Pastor Mark Bergen officiating.
For those unable to attend a livestream may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77EPOEUWlMs.
A luncheon will follow at the Rosetown Civic Centre, all are welcome.
A private family interment will be held at Roseview Cemetery, Rosetown, SK.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dr. Ernst’s memory may be made to the Alex Ositis Foundation, P.O. Box 1251, Rosetown, SK, S0L 2V0. Online messages of condolence may be left at www.paragonfuneralservices.com.
