BURNHAM – Ernest Francis Soucy, loving husband and one heckuva family man, made his celestial transition on June 24, 2022. “Ernie” is survived by his wife Setsuko, their fur baby Ninja; their daughter Catherine (Matthew) Soucy‐Snowman, son Kevin (Samantha) Soucy; seven grandchildren: Alexander, Evangeline, Ethan, Elizabeth, Rex, Daphne, and Pascale; brothers Lester (Margaret), Clarence, and Ronald; sisters Jeanne Soucy-Powers, Bernadette (Robert) Thompson, Annette (Roger) Simmons, Priscilla (Reginald) Lessard, Sandra Houghton, Joelene Couture, Mary Caron, Doreen (Ernest) Chamberlain, and Deborah Billings. A plethora of nieces and nephews also survive him. Ernie was predeceased by his parents Lester and Mildred (née Landry), and brother Henry.

At the tender age of 18, the US Marine Corps sculpted the skinny, quiet kid into a strong, tough Marine who had steely blue eyes with sparks that could fell a tree when angry. Ernie was a sharp, crafty, and ingenious “jack of all trades.” As a fan of the television show “MacGyver,” he often believed the title character was inspired by his own extraordinary knack for fixing things that no one else could fix. He was an excellent remodeler and had an attention to detail that rivaled Michelangelo. Ernie was known to frighten some of his clients while working atop their roofs, as he would skip and prance across peaks, just to show off. Falling off a roof occasionally happened, but he would chuckle and say he landed on his feet, like a cat.

The good Lord broke the mold for best provider, husband, father, and grandfather when he created Ernie. Ernie was married to his “exotic” wife Setsuko Iha, a beautiful, industrious Okinawan girl, for almost 55 years. He loved her with every fiber of his being, cherished and worshipped the very ground she walked upon. Together they had two children, Catherine, and Kevin. When Ernie first laid eyes upon his daughter and then his son, his heart expanded ten‐fold. He adored his children. He taught them to stack wood, how to select a good hammer, and how to mow a lawn in a straight line. Most of all, he taught them how to be grateful for what they had, and how to persevere when times were tough.

Ernie loved to drive and enjoyed taking his family for rides to explore the state of Maine, the greater New England area, and Canada. Ernie knew someone everywhere he went. His daughter would often remark that the list of people he didn’t know was much shorter than the list of people he did. He always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He never hesitated in helping people out, and folks found him quite easy to talk to. A good friend of Ernie’s summed him up in this way, “There are good people, and then there’s Ernie.”

Ernie was a giving, caring, and selfless soul. He was a resilient figure when faced with adversity, as was apparent when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 57. With his tenacity, incredible sense of humor, and the support of family, Ernie was able to stave off many of the manifestations of Parkinson’s disease, so much so that he was still able to ride his bike until he was aged 71. After that, the disease progression accelerated. He continued to be active until all he could do was sit in the sun, pants legs rolled up, still chasing that ever‐elusive suntan on his white legs. Anyone who knew Ernie was touched by his kindness, humor, and temperament. He was a peacemaker and a constant source of positivity.

The family thanks the dedicated staff at Patriots Place for their unwavering care, kindness, support, and friendship to Ernie and his family; and to Togus Springs for making Ernie’s transition peaceful and dignified. Additional thanks to Patrick at the Fisher House for his kindness and compassion during the family’s stay.

Honor guard ceremony for Sgt Ernest F Soucy will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at 9 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 143 Blue Star Ave., Augusta, ME.

At Ernie’s request, there will be no services as he did not want a big fuss made over him. Please celebrate his life by raising a glass of your favorite drink in his memory: extending a hearty salute and an “until we meet again” would be quite appropriate, so he said. Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.lawrybrothers.com.

In lieu of flowers, Ernie hopes that you would perform a random act of kindness in his name for some poor unfortunate soul, or if you prefer, send a gift in his memory to:

Covenant House

5 Penn Plaza 3rd Floor

NY, NY 10001

http://www.covenanthouse.org

Fisher House Foundation

12308 Twinbrook Parkway

Suite 410

Rockville, MD 20852

http://www.fisherhouse.org or:

Parkinsons Foundation

2000 SE 1st St. Suite 800

Miami, FL 33131

http://www.parkinsons.org

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