Ernest Jerome "Ernie" Barrows

Ernest Jerome (Ernie) Barrows was born to to George and Saphora Barrows on June 11, 1923, in Stickney, South Dakota, and passed away on Feb. 22, 2021, in Astoria.

He was the youngest of six children. When he was 10 years old, his mother passed away.

After graduating from Mount Vernon High School in 1941, he and his father moved to Laurel, near Hillsboro. Ernie found employment in Astoria harvesting bent grass seed.

At the outbreak of World War II, he worked in the shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was a crew chief, working on radios in airplanes in the Southwest Pacific.

After 2 1/2 years he returned to Hillsboro and married Virginia Varenhorst, the love of his life, on Dec. 16, 1944. Their courtship had been by letter. They lived in Sacramento, California, where Ernie was assigned to Mather Field until the end of World War II in 1945.

Returning to Hillsboro, Ernie attended Multnomah College and Portland State University, making accounting his career. Two sons were born to them, Donald and Larry Barrows.

In 1959, Ernie moved his family to Astoria, where he was employed in the office of the Columbia River Packers Association/Bumble Bee Seafoods, where he became a corporate officer. He retired in 1982.

Ernie was an avid golfer, and belonged to the Astoria Golf & Country Club for over 50 years. He was proud that he had a hole-in-one and that he parred the course. He was a director of the Astoria Golf & Country Club, a director of the old Columbia Hospital and, in later years, he attended Astoria City Council meetings.

Ernie is survived by his wife, Virginia; granddaughter, Maya Mackey (Darin), of Ashburn, Virginia; daughter-in-law, Margaret Barrows, of Bellevue, Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his five siblings; two sons; his brother-in-law, Vernon Varenhorst; and his sister-in-law, Barbara Varenhorst.

A private graveside service was held at Greenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the memorial fund at Peace First Lutheran Church or the charity of one’s choice.