ForeverMissed
Large image
Memorial Service

Ernie Brockmann Memorial Service Part 1 - YouTube


Ernie Brockmann Memorial Service Part 2 - YouTube
                 

     
 Life story of Ernie Brockmann   
     Ernst Rudolf Brockmann was born on August 2, 1931 in Wilhelmshaven, Germany to his parents Henri Berthold Brockmann (1899-1974) and Ina Frieda (Jochimsen) Brockmann (1908-1995).  The family made their home in the heart of the city at Marienstrasse 12, Wilhelmshaven, Deutschland.  A year and a half after Ernie was born, he became a brother. Karl Heinz was born January 26, 1933.  The family enjoyed taking long leisurely bike rides.  Little Ernie would be in a kid bike seat on the front of his dad’s bike facing him and little Heinz would be on his mom’s bike.  The family would take extensive bike rides west of Wilhelmshaven into the countryside.  Ernie’s father was a talented soccer player.  He would take Ernie and Heinz to the big stadiums to watch professional soccer tournaments on many occasions.

     Ernie and his family moved to Hamburg in 1939.  After the war began, his father, Henri was reactivated into the German Navy as a Commander.  His mother, Ernie and brother were sent to a farm in Kugl Bavaria to escape the heavy bombing in Hamburg.  His second brother, Hans Jurgen, was born during the war on January 25, 1941.  Ernie attended a small school in  Niederhausen with less than 100 kids.  At recess, the kids would play soccer or “Volkerball”.  He also ran the 60-meter dash, 1000-meter dash, broad jump and long jump in sports competitions.  The music him and his family would listen to was mostly Bavarian folk, some classical and of course a lot of marching music.  Ernie would normally wear Lederhosen.

      Ernie attended a Military training academy, a part of Hitler youth starting in November 1943 located in Schwandorf, Bavaria.  The military academy was only 40 kilometres south of their farm.  The Military Academy was a repurposed Roman Catholic Monastery, which was taken over by Hitler Youth leadership during the war.  3 monks remained on site during the war.  Ernie and his classmates were divided into squads, platoons and companies.  They stayed in 4-man rooms.His room was called, “Lutzen”.  They all wore military style uniforms.  The instructors were all Nazi officers who had doctorate degrees.  It was a very strict environment, there was no talking aloud. In the winter months at the farm it was very cold and the snow was several feet high so he would ski to school.  When he got home from school, he would have four hours of homework and chores around the Bavarian farm to complete.  Ernie and his brothers tended to their 350 rabbits, horses, chickens, geese, ducks and guinea hens.  In their free time they would play cards until late at night.

      Towards the end of the war, conditions were worsening and the cities throughout Germany were getting heavily bombed.  Three weeks before the war’s end, Ernie escaped from the military academy with one of his buddies in April of 1945.  They watched from a distance as the war drew to an end.  American troops entered their farm on May 1, 1945.  The troops raided the house.

     During the Battle of Normandy when the Allies (US, Canada and England) attacked the German occupied northern French coastline, Henri was captured at the submarine base of St. Nazarine, France.  He remained a prisoner of war in France from June 1944 until June 1947.  He was forced to slave labor for three years.  Once Henri was released, he returned to his family and moved them back up to Hamburg.  Ernie loved having his father home.  In 1948, Ernie and his dad took a long 130-mile bike ride from Hamburg to Wilhelmshaven, passing through Bremen and Henri’s hometown of Oldenburg.  They left Hamburg at 5 am and rolled into Wilhelmshaven around 4 pm.  It was quite an accomplishment and a wonderful memory getting to spend quality father, son time together.

     Shortly after the war, Ernie’s mother told him about her 4 siblings who were living in the United States that he didn’t know about.  It was at that moment, Ernie felt something inside him saying that he needed to go to America.  Ernie spent 3 years on a waiting list waiting to immigrate to America, and then in 1950, his wait was over.  He arrived by plane in New York, NY on July 22, 1950 (a week before his 19th birthday).  The next day, after a couple more flights, he reached his final destination in Portland, Oregon.  He stayed with his Aunt Marie (Jochimsen) and Uncle Bill Young.  Marie was Ernie’s mother’s oldest sister.  Their home was at 1325 SE 31st Ave, Portland, Oregon.

     Just as Ernie was getting settled, he heard word that Billy Graham was having his very first crusade in Portland on September 23, 1950.  It was at that revival that Ernie gave his life to the Lord and his life was forever changed.  Ernie soon started attending First Assemblies of God (a church that his Aunt Marie and Uncle Bill were founding members of).

     Ernie started working at Alpenrose Dairy in Portland.  He eventually worked his way up to Manager.  One of Ernie’s passions was fine cars.  In February 1951, he bought his first car, a 1946 Oldsmobile.  The following year, in April 1952, he purchased a brand new green 1952 Cadillac Coupe Seville.Although he owned mostly American made cars throughout his life in the U.S., Ernie thought that German made autos were the cream of the crop, especially Mercedes Benz.  He always praised their quality craftsmanship and smooth, quiet cabin ride.

     Ernie enlisted in the US Army on November 28, 1952.  Between 1952-1954 he was stationed in Germany and France as an Army Intelligence Officer.  After active duty, he was honorably discharged on October 27, 1954.  He stayed on with the Army Reserves in Portland until 1960 after serving a total of 8 years.  Ernie lived as a proud American veteran.  He was very patriotic and often said how thankful and blessed he was to live in America, the land of the free.  He received his United States citizenship in 1955, which he was very proud of.  Ernie got a job at Northwest Natural Gas as a Public Relations Junior Executive.  He worked there for 11 years from 1954 till 1965.

     In his first time back at First Assemblies of God, Ernie was called to the stage and everyone gave him a warm welcome back from his Army service.  Unknown to Ernie at the time, his future bride was watching in the audience hanging on his every word.  A friend suggested that JoAnn ask Ernie to speak at the next youth group.  They went on a double date for tea and JoAnn thought, “this guy is so interesting, I could listen to him for the rest of my life”.  Weeks passed and JoAnn wondered why he hadn't called on her.  She thought he wasn’t interested in her after all.  What she didn’t know is that Ernie was in fact interested in her, it was just that he always saw her attending church with what he thought was her boyfriend.  Ernie’s friend soon corrected him and told him that the guy she attended church with was her brother, Jerry.  Ernie was ecstatic and called on JoAnn immediately.

     Ernie and JoAnn had been going together for nearly a year, and it was Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1955 at the Prouse home.  Ernie was giddy with excitement and JoAnn wondered why he was acting so funny.  Suddenly, Ernie pulled out a ring and asked JoAnn to marry her.  She was overjoyed.  They both wed the next summer on August 24, 1956 at First Assembly of God, just 3 days after JoAnn’s 20th birthday.  After the wedding, they drove to Mount Rainier for a 4-night honeymoon, having a delightful time in the snow.

     Shortly after, Ernie and JoAnn purchased their first home together at 10819 NE Sacramento Street in Portland.  It was a cute white 3-bedroom home, a perfect place to start a family.  The next April, they traveled to Germany so that Ernie could introduce his new bride to his family.  While they were there, Ernie purchased a brand new 1957 Volkswagen Beetle.  He made sure to have it shipped back to Portland.

     It wasn’t but a year after their marriage that they welcomed their first beautiful baby girl.  Berinda JoAnn was born on September 3, 1957.  After Berinda was born, 3 more just as beautiful children followed.  Carmen Ina was born on April 24, 1960.  Their one and only boy, Bryan Ernest followed on October 9, 1961.  And finally, Deanna Renee arrived on March 20, 1963.  They felt blessed beyond belief and thanked God for four healthy beautiful children.

     Soon after they started having kids, Ernie realized that he needed to better provide for his family.  He started taking night classes at Portland State University while still working his day job at Northwest Natural gas.  He started out taking classes in pursuit of a law degree.  The other law students that Ernie was in class with were heavy smokers.  Every time Ernie would come home from class, JoAnn would tell him to undress before he came in the house because he reeked of smoke.  If there was one thing Ernie attested, it was smoking.  Before long, he made the decision to change his career path.  He felt God was telling him he needed to be a teacher.  After 8 years of night school, Ernie graduated with his BA in FL (German) and Social Sciences from Portland State University in 1965.

      Ernie’s first teaching job was at Tillamook High School in Tillamook Oregon as a German teacher.  The family rented a double wide mobile home a mile and half down the road from the high school.  At the end of his second year of teaching, on June 21, 1967, Ernie was awarded a one-year fellowship grant for advanced study in German at the University of Washington.  As a part of that grant he would also attend the Universities of Berlin, Munich and Bremen.  So, Ernie moved his family up to Seattle while he spent time studying at the UW and also in Germany before graduating with his masters in advanced FL (German) in 1968.

     Later that summer, Ernie took a job as a German teacher for the Everett School District.  His first school he taught at was Evergreen Middle School.  The Brockmann family made their final move to Everett, Washington where they purchased a home at 9233 Goblin Lane.  The family flourished in Everett and made it their forever home.  They began attending Bethany Christian Assembly and soon created some long lasting friendships.  Ernie can be described as a people person.  Everyone he meets loves him and he loves them back.  He would often say there are two kinds of people in this world, my friends and friends I haven’t met yet.  He was very friendly, kind and inviting.  He was also a great story teller, often telling amazing stories from his time during the second world war in Germany.  His students loved him too and he became known for his awesome war stories.

     A year after getting hired at the Everett School District, Ernie switched schools and began teaching at Everett High School until 1975.  In 1975, he became the Foreign Language Director of the Everett School District.  During that time, he continued to teach 2 German classes a day at Everett and Cascade High Schools.  In 1985, he decided to go back to full time teaching and took a job at Cascade High School.  Throughout his school career Ernie connected with his students in a way that not many teachers could.  He cared so much for each of his students and he was beloved by countless students over his career.  They called him Herr Brockmann.  During the month of October, the hallways would be filled with wonderful smells of sausage and sauerkraut, in which he made for his students to celebrate German Oktoberfest.  He also took his students on educational class trips to Germany where he taught them more about the history and culture of the country.

     During the 80’s, one by one his children started leaving the nest and getting married.  Carmen was first, marrying Mark Brian Yeadon (6/18/1958-) on August 16, 1980.  After that, his son Bryan married Melody Lynn Flathers (3/9/1961-) on February 25, 1984.  Berinda married Mark Steven Wolitarsky on August 16, 1986.  And finally, Deanna wed John Cameron on April 25, 1987.

      After their children got married and settled, they started having children of their own which made Ernie and JoAnn very happy  .They had 9 grandchildren altogether: Joshua David born July 17, 1984, Daniel Mark born December 2, 1986, Jacob Tyler born October 8, 1987, Alise Janae born June 4, 1988, Rachelle JoAnn born October 15, 1988, Nathan Garrett born August 23, 1989, Brock James born February 22, 1991, Madeline Esther born October 23, 1994, and Myrinda Shalom born April 4, 1996.  Their grandchildren were their pride and joy.  They spent as much time with them as they could.  There was rarely a moment in which they didn’t have at least one or two of their grandchildren at their house.  Ernie always took special interest in whatever each of his grandkids were into and made his interest as well.  He was very present in each of their lives and made sure to attend most every sports game, dance recital, piano recital etc.  He loved to take his grandkids to Airplane exhibits and give history lessons about what each plane was used for during the war.  His kids and grandkids could always expect an awesome war story, which always had them hanging on every word and detail.

     In 1993, Ernie retired from teaching after working 25 years with the Everett School District (27 years total).  The 1993 Cascade yearbook was dedicated to him, or Herr Brockmann as they called him.  He was so surprised and touched that they would do that for him.Even though he officially retired, he wasn’t done with teaching just yet.  He continued to sub in the district for an additional 25 years after that.  He was everyone’s favorite sub and became known as a “legend” in his own right, often having classes standing and clapping for him when he entered the room to sub their class that day.  The students would always ask him to tell them war stories, and of course he didn’t disappoint.

     Around the time Ernie retired, him and JoAnn started attending Northshore Christian Church.  Ernie was always very involved there.  He was a part of many small groups over the years and was lead usher for the 11:00 service.He was well known, well respected and well loved by many in the congregation.

     As the years went by, Ernie and JoAnn found themselves approaching their 50-year wedding anniversary.  They had a big celebration held at their church, with over 100 people in attendance.  They also took their entire family on an Argosy cruise to further celebrate the event.  It was a wonderful time to look back and reflect on a wonderful marriage and love story that they had.  In thinking back on the countless times traveling through Europe, mostly Germany and Jersey Island and the 9 cruises they went on together to Alaska, Panama Canal, Caribbean and Canada, they sure had some fun times together.  Some of the family members refer to Ernie and JoAnn as the greatest love story of all time.  You could tell how much they loved each other by the sweet way they spoke to each other and the way they looked at each other.  They held hands every chance they got.  Whenever Ernie got home, he would holler “Hi honeybunch” and she would respond “Hi sweetheart, welcome home”.  Ernie took such good care of his wife, doing countless acts of service for her.

     Ernie continued to take such good care of his precious JoAnn even when her health deteriorated.  He stayed faithfully by her side, helping her with whatever she needed until she breathed her last breath and the Lord took her home on February 5, 2015 due to Metastatic Breast Cancer.

      By this time, Ernie’s grandchildren were all grown and were getting married and having babies of their own.  Ernie’s great grandkids were every bit as special to him as his kids and grandkids were.  He got the honor of walking his youngest daughter, Deanna down the aisle on August 28, 2016 to marry Jim Bernard Kelly (1961-).

     One day while he was enjoying some friends company at the French bakery on Silver Lake he caught the eye of a beautiful lady and engaged her in conversation.  Her name was Colleen Sue Cashen-Lienau (5/6/1952).  The two bonded instantly and although Colleen was a bit resistant at first, Ernie’s persistence won her over and she couldn’t help but fall in love with the sweet man.  She found him so interesting and very kind.  The happy couple married at Northshore Christian Church on September 2, 2017 surrounded by many friends and family.

     While married to Colleen, they made many lasting memories together.  They went to Europe on several occasions, went on a cruise to Panama Canal, and enjoyed some relaxation at Colleen’s vacation residence at Robson Ranch in Eloy, Arizona.  Colleen is a retired nurse and former nursing instructor at Northwest University.  She has such a big heart, a true helper and a lover of people.  Ernie’s family couldn’t help but fall in love with her too.

     Just a couple months after Ernie and Colleen’s 2nd wedding anniversary, Ernie suffered a stroke and fell at their vacation home in Arizona.  This was the start of Ernie’s deteriorating health throughout the course of that year.  But, Ernie never wavered or complained.  He was positive and optimistic and gave praise to the good Lord every day.  On Ernie’s 89th birthday, the family had a big celebration for him in his grandson’s backyard.  His family and some of his close friends were there to celebrate with him.  Everyone was laughing, telling stories and enjoying each other’s company and loving up on Ernie.  Ernie was taking it all in and had the biggest smile on his face.  He recalled to his wife Colleen who was sitting besides him that as he was looking around, he could see his children and his children’s children and their children and that he felt complete.  A week passed and Ernie suffered a series of major strokes which left him mostly unresponsive.  He was brought home, with his wife by his side every waking moment.  He was greeted by his family and friends who filtered in and out throughout the week, talking to him, singing to him, kissing him, praying over him, and shedding some tears.  He was so peaceful and not in pain.  Surrounded by his 4 children and wife, they said goodbye to the man and in the wee hours of the morning on August 25, 2020, Ernie Brockmann got to meet his Lord and Savior.

Please make sure to leave a story or memory of Ernie in the story section on this website.  God bless you!


October 11, 2020
October 11, 2020
Best teacher I ever had! I was a student of his for 3 years at Cascade. Just found out tonight that he's no longer with us :( The German that I learned back then from him was the foundation for what turned out to be a lifelong love of the German language. I always thought about contacting him and showing him how far my German progressed since I was his student at Cascade. For some reason, I thought he would have been proud of me. Thank you, Herr Brockmann.


Lieber Herr Brockmann,
So viele Erinnerungen, die jetzt wie Hochwasser durch meine Gedanken fluten. Was kann ich sagen? Als ich ein junger Mann war, hattest du mich so beeinflusst, dass ich die deutsche Sprache gerne gelernt hat. Eigentlich lerne ich noch, wie immer. Es war und ist eine lebenslange Leidenschaft. Ich habe auch in Deutschland studiert, und habe immer an dich gedacht. Vielen Dank für alles mein Lieblingslehrer. Ich werde dich nie vergessen! Rühe in Frieden.

MfG,
September 12, 2020
September 12, 2020
Im Jahre 2003 hatte ich die Möglichkeit, Ernie das erste Mal kennen zu lernen. Es war im Rahmen eines Schüleraustausches zwischen der Cascade Highschool und dem Wolkenberg-Gymnasium Michendorf in Deutschland. Schnell haben wir uns angefreundet und es kam bei einer Tasse Kaffee zu einem regen Gedankenaustausch. Das wiederholte sich alle zwei Jahre bis 2015. Ernie gab mir einen tiefen Einblick in das Leben der US Amerikaner und er konnte mir viele Fragen beantworten. Gestern erhielt ich die Nachricht, dass Ernie von uns gegangen ist. Ich wünsche Dir alles Gute bei Deiner nächsten Reise. Sollte ich nochmals nach Everett kommen, wirst Du mir fehlen.
September 10, 2020
September 10, 2020
I work in the office at Cascade and loved seeing Ernie for a hug. It was always like catching up with an old friend. Ernie loved his coffee and I was always happy to help him find his cup a joe! After school we would talk about where we were heading, was it Trader Joe's? Costco? Home to see our honey? I am going to miss him a lot. I am glad to know his last days were so happy and spent with the people he loved most! May we all be so blessed! 
September 8, 2020
September 8, 2020
To live is Christ. To die is gain. Ernie has gained all.
I came back from Germany in 1991 after a year living with a host family there. I was a hotheaded 18-year-old. Ernie helped me not only to proofread a letter I had written, but to change the letter to express more gratitude and less complaints.  Ernie was peaceful, gracious....and wise.

I'm still in touch with that family.

Thank you, Ernie.
September 8, 2020
September 8, 2020
He was a wonderful teacher and soul! So inspirational!! Always had a smile on his face and a kind word for you. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. My heart goes out to all the friends and family of Herr Brockman.
September 7, 2020
September 7, 2020
Ernie was a gift of light and joy. Whether it was a greeting or a story, he always made you feel good because he radiated hope and focused on what was good in life. He was truly special and while he will be missed, memories of him will bring comfort.
September 7, 2020
September 7, 2020
My condolences to the family. My memories of Ernie revolved around my time at church, celebrations, birthdays and anniversary times. You could not be around him without recognizing the quiet calm and insight that he projected. As a young man, I looked forward to the wisdom that he shared and the sincerity in how he shared it. I was richer every time we saw each other. At this moment, he is soooo very happy that he's with
his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
How wonderful it was to know JoAnn and Ernie Brockman and 3 of their 4 children at BCA. He and I had a joint German heritage and I felt like I had another brother. He and JoAnn always greeted me warmly and I will always cherish their friendships. Gone for now, but looking forward to a reunion in heaven. Auf Wiedersehen.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
He was one of my favorite teachers at Cascade. He always made us laugh and listening to his stories of his youth were amazing. 20+ years later I saw him at Northshore Christian Church and he remembered me, even my German name for class. He was so loved and will be missed.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
Herr Brockmann.

To this day, I hear your voice in my head, "Nach einmal" and " Angenehmes Wochenende." I also remember talking with you many times at Bethany Temple. You were always so kind to my grandmother Ahlberg - despite her Swedish heritage. 

Rest in the Lord.

Sincerely,

Bernd Wittelsbach (i.e. Brent Cantley
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
I was privileged enough to have Herr Brockmann as one of my substitute teachers during my time at Jackson High School. Herr Brockmann captivated a class like no other substitute teacher could -- his stories of war and his life in Germany commanded the attention of every student in the room. Though soft-spoken, he had an incredibly big heart that made everyone in class adore him. Thank you, Ernie, for making our world a better place.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
Herr Brockmann was my German teacher at Cascade from 1989-1991. I loved his class and the opportunity to learn a language that was so different from the Spanish and French my friends were learning.  It was amazing to hear his stories and he was a wonderful and kind man. I also loved that he was one of the only people who could pronounce my name as it was meant to be! Dankeshön Herr Brockmann.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
Herr Bockmann was my German teacher at Everett High about 1970-1972. He was the best teacher I ever had, and influenced my work as a professor later. He invited students to join him at Bethany Christian and influenced my faith. He took us on a trip to Leavenworth for Oktoberfest, and encouraged us to cook German cuisine for class. When my friend, Colleen Leinau, said she had met and married a former German teacher in Everett, I said, I had a teacher, Herr Brockmann. She said, that's him! I hope I get to meet him again some day. Rest in peace Herr Brockmann. Well done, good and faithful servant.
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
Herr Brockmann was an amazing teacher and man. He was larger than life and had a smile for all. I felt honored to have had him as a teacher at Everett High School, with many fond memories. I would run into him from time to time after graduation and he always remembered me and we would chat for a bit. He will be missed by many, but I will see him again! RIP Herr Brockmann you were one of a kind!
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
My high school German teacher, good friend and brother in the Lord who touched many lives for Jesus. Sorry to see you leave this life but one day I'll see you in the next! 
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020
Ernie was such a wonderful man. He always had a smile on his face when I would greet him for the 11:00 o'clock service after I was an usher at the 9:00 o'clock one. I shall miss seeing him very much. Ernie always wanted to help others and he did with just his smile.
My prayers are with all of Ernie's wife Colleen and his family members.
September 5, 2020
September 5, 2020
Our hearts are broken to hear of our dear friend, Ernie. Sending our deepest condolences to his beautiful wife& family and keeping you all a priority in our prayers. Sunday service will never be the same without him ..... let’s face it the world will never be same without him .Always gracious, always kind, always loving. There is no greater compliment in my opinion that could ever be given than this : he was the most Christ like person I know. Him & pastor Paul. Thankful to have had the pleasure to know him. And honored to call him Our beloved friend . And wow he gets a A for penmanship !! Truely the most beautiful I have ever seen !! We will miss you Ernie , Love you Forever . - Rick & Stacia Thornton
September 5, 2020
September 5, 2020
Words can not convey all I feel. The blessing of knowing Ernie, the gratitude of my dearest friend Colleen knowing what true love is in this wonderful man. His smiling acceptance of his wife's crazy friend and laughing and embracing their antics. Wishing for the last visit that didn't occur, wanting to take away the grief of my dear friend. Ernie and Colleen strengthened my faith and ability to be a more open witness. As Colleen always said, " The world would be a better place if there were more Ernie Brockmanns!" Condolences. 
September 4, 2020
September 4, 2020
Our family is truly sorry for the passing of your wonderful “Ernie.” We sure wished we could have been able to visit him, pray for him, smile at him, hold his hand, embrace him with a huge hug, and tell him how much we love him! We would have told him how much, “we look forward to being with him in Heaven in the presence of our Heavenly Father.”. 

Dear Ernie, I remember when I first met you at church. We instantly clicked knowing we both came from Europe. I know it was deeper than that, though, your love for people came from God, His Spirit, and He was the one that truly drew us to each other. You were always so interested in knowing how we were doing and checking on us at church. We loved seeing you at church and getting our hugs from you and hearing your stories. We look forward to reuniting with you and our loved ones, in Christ, that have gone before us. We are going to have all of eternity to catch up and worship God together! 

“Well done good and faithful servant.”

We love you, Ernie! See you in Heaven! 

The Winecoff Family
(Steve, Natalia, Cristina, & Andrew)
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
September 3, 2020
September 3, 2020
We lived in the neighbor hood corner of baring way, my sister Lisa and I went to school with Brenda . Mr Brockman was such a good man he always had a smile and something nice to say. He was an amazing teacher he was a beautiful human being. Gods speed . To his family so sorry for your loss.
September 3, 2020
September 3, 2020
Mr Brockman, by far the best sub teacher ever known! If I walked into class and saw you, I knew we would have the best day. You never made us do any school work, but still taught us through your stories and experiences. You will be so dearly missed. R.I.P ❤️
September 3, 2020
September 3, 2020
Mr. Ernie ~ I have had the honor of knowing Ernie from days at Cascade and Jackson High School. He always had a smile for me and a kind word to always make my day! He made me feel like he cared for me as a daughter - no matter how long in between visits or a passing in the hall! Such a genuine soul and kind, caring man - You will be missed sweet friend! Heaven is rejoicing!
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
We were neighbors, just 2 houses apart on Goblin lane, and I was in Ernie's class in 1993. Awesome and warm person. He would always wave with a huge smile as drove by the house.
So glad to have known him, and glad he is in the best of hands with his Savior.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Herr Brockmann was truly like no other teacher. He often subbed for many of my classes, particularly German, at Cascade High School when I was there from 2008-2012. Always loved to hear all his stories and wisdom. Every time Frau Lockwood would tell us she was getting a sub the whole class would unanimously shout "Herr Brockmann! Herr Brockmann!" because of how much we loved him and his stories.

We'll all miss you dearly, Herr.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Mr Brockmann subbed in my classroom many times at Henry M Jackson and he came in on days we were talking of the second war.
Any time he walked into our class we knew it was going to be a good period, we clapped for him and begged him for stories and he always delivered. Every word he spoke left us at the edge of our seats.
I remember shaking his hand and thanking him for all that he has done, and he was so sweet and humble.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Herr Brockman was truly an amazing man and I only knew this through the stories he would tell and they way he would teach. I knew him briefly from 2000-2004 my high school years at Cascade High school in Everett. Frau Lockwood would have him substitute. Honestly the two of them together were so fun if he ever stopped by to say hi whether he was teaching or not. You sometimes forget life or school when 16+ years have passed but he is as fresh memory that comes back so easily. A remarkable man who lived an amazing and full life. Prayers for the family.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Much Love to my neighbor, as I grew up on Goblin Lane. And how much I loved your stories when you subbed in my German class at Cascade High, grad year 96. This is from Tara Chowen. To your whole family, may love & memories hold you close and comfort you.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Herr Brockman was my teacher for 3 years at Cascade High. He was a great teacher and storyteller. Such a wonderful man. He went on to teach my son too. Rest in love Herr Brockman.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Ernie, you were always a man of honesty and humbleness, you always had the greatest stories and were such a pleasure to have sub in many of my classes, you always cared about everyone and loved seeing people succeed,

Rest In Peace Ernie, you were truly a legend.
September 2, 2020
September 2, 2020
Herr Brockmann came in sometimes to substitute my high school German class at Jackson High School. Each and every day he was there, he regaled us with stories of his amazing life, and everyone listened as intently as we could. My friends and I in the graduating class of 2016 are now adults out of college, but I know we would all return to high school in a heartbeat if Herr Brockmann was there.

I have never before nor since had the privilege of meeting someone so kind and open. I have pictures of his handwriting saved to my phone because of how beautiful and intricate it was. Every aspect of him was full of life and color and care. He was truly one of my fondest memories from that time. His memory will not fade in the hearts of those who had the privilege to meet him and hear him speak. I send my love to his family.

Thank you, Herr, Brockmann, for being a part of our story.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
I’ll always treasure the memories I have listening to this wise man. It was always truly a gift to walk into class and be greeted with his warm smile and a ticket to an enthralling tale that always managed to make me leave knowing that I had learned a valuable lesson while also having a phenomenal experience. I’m so thankful for his signature in my yearbook in his impeccable handwriting but the time I got to spend in his presence was easily the best impression he could have left on my life. Rest easy, Brockmann, you will be genuinely missed but you will forever live on in the lessons you so graciously shared with your students.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
I'm honored to have met this honorable man. He was such a wonderful person and my favorite substitute teacher with all the best stories. His life story was amazing to read. He will surely be missed. I hope that my children are blessed enough to have a teacher as great and motivating as he was to us!
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Ruhe sanft Lieber Ernie. 
You enriched our lives with your compassion for others, your winning smile, and your enthralling stories.  My sincere condolences to your dear family. 
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Ernie. He was our favorite sub. He loved to share stories with the students who loved him so much. One day as students were in the back of the room tossing a bottle up to try to get it to land right side, instead of getting upset with them he walked up to them and took the bottle and gave it toss. The bottle landed right side up first try. The kids all cheered. He also loved to talk about his own children and how proud he was of them.i was just sharing with my family the other day about how amazing of a man he was. We would sit and he would tell me stories and share pictures of his trips he had taken He was one of the kindest man I have ever bet.Rest in peace Ernie I will miss you!
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
I only had Herr Brockman a few times as a sub in high school, yet he left a truly lasting impression on me. It was always such a joy to see him standing in my German class. He was incredibly kind, helpful, and everybody loved him. The stories he told were always fascinating and captured everyone's attention.

I feel so lucky to have met this man. He will be missed by so many. Rest easy, Herr Brockman
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
It was a joy to have known Ernie. He gave the best hugs, and he always made me feel special: like I was his own daughter or grandchild. I think a lot of people felt that way about him. Both adults and students would light up when they saw Ernie. He often made a point to swing by my classroom to greet me whenever he was on Cascade High School's campus. We loved speaking German with each other and sharing a cup of coffee. That was great for both of us, as I would learn so much from him, and he would get the opportunity to speak German. I especially appreciate all the support Ernie gave me and the German program through the years. Whenever my German partners from our exchange school were in town, Ernie made sure to take them out to "Kaffee und Kuchen." He definitely was a very gracious and social guy! He made an impression on me and countless students. I will continue to remember his smile and his stories, and I will miss his hugs. Alles Gute, lieber Ernie!
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Seeing Herr Brockmann at your classroom door was as close to winning the jackpot as a high school student could get. Many of us went out of our way to say hello, even if he wasn’t subbing for our class. He was known for telling the most incredible stories and he’d have entire classrooms of usually bored and listless high school students hanging on his every word. When the bell would ring, we’d wait until he finished his story. I’ll never forget the way we would beg him to write our names in his incredible handwriting. I had mine on the front of my binder for a long time. 

I was actually in a class with him soon after he lost his first wife. We had no idea about his loss and someone asked him about his family. Watching him cry as he talked about love, his beautiful wife, and cherishing the people in your life while you can was one of the most moving things I have ever seen to this day. There were many of us that cried along with him.

Herr Brockmann will live in all of our memories as he touched so many of our lives.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Mr.Brockmann was fricken awesome! He was hands down the best substitute teacher I ever had through out my high school years at cascade. He wasn’t just any ordinary teacher either, Mr. Brockmann cared about his students and wanted to see us succeed. Classes with him were always fun and his teaching style was awesome. He never got angry or frustrated with us or at least never showed it lol I know we could all be annoying and loud . He was so kind hearted and he had so much patients with us. He will never be forgotten, Sincerely one of your many students.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
As a world history teacher at Cascade High School, I always made sure to have Ernie sub for may classes whenever I had to miss school. I learned quickly that the best sub plan was to not have a sub plan when Ernie taught my classes. My students would teach me what they learned from the stories Ernie told when I came back the next day. But my favorite days at Cascade were not when Ernie taught my classes. I enjoyed it more when he was subbing for someone else. That meant we would get to talk before school, at lunch, or after school about his life and experiences. He always stopped by my room to say hello when he was on campus. Ernie reminded me of my dad, who passed away a few years ago. They both treated everyone they met as their longtime friend. They both had no problem striking up a conversation with strangers. So it didn't surprise me when I found out they happened to meet at a bakery in Everett one morning before school. In their conversation they connected the dots back to me. That day Ernie told me he met my dad, and how enjoyable it was to talk with him... and that evening my dad told me he met Ernie Brockman, and what a wonderful person he is. I agree.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
I graduated 2014 from Cascade high school. Mr. Brockman was with out a doubt the most respected sub we had. When we walked in the door and saw that he was our teacher for the day we knew it would be a good class. He never disappointed us with his interesting war stories and would get every single student sucked in and interested. I remember after graduating I’d pass him some times while driving into my neighborhood and I’d always think back and wish I could have another class with him to hear more. Although we had little interactions compared to others he may of know, he had a big impact on a lot of us students. He truly was such a kind man and I will forever remember him!
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Herr Brockmann was truly one of the best and kindest souls I’ve met. I will always keep that paper you wrote my name on for me and will never forget your amazing stories. RIP
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Rest in peace to the best, Herr Brockmann lit up any room he was in, I could always count on it being a good day in the class when he was there. He would say hi every time we passed each other in the hallway and would jokingly claim to be my grandpa but he sure gave advice like he was. He will be missed and I hope he can rest easy now.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
  Herr Brockmann, as most everyone knew him as, was one of the best teachers that anyone had the privilege of having. I know we all secretly wished our teachers would get sick just so we could walk into the classroom and see him writing his name in that perfect calligraphy.
I once had an argument with a friend from Snohomish High about the best substitute teacher ever. We realized quite quickly that we had to have been talking about the same man.
Herr Brockmann was the man who had such the way of telling a story as if he was reading it straight out of a book. These stories and life lessons that he would tell us and teach us, are still engraved in my memory to this day.
He was a truly inspiring person. I know Herr Brockmann touched so many lives in a positive way, mine included.

It was a true honor to have met him and been taught by him.
Herr Brockmann will be forever missed, but he is a true legend that will never be forgotten.
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
He is one of the best subs I ever had in school! Everyday I would hope id have him as a sub. He knew how to tell stories and would always have us locked into them. He knew how to make everyone laugh. He could always tell if you were having a bad day and he knew just how to make it better! He was always so positive and full of life! After I graduated I still saw him at least once a week at the grocery store and we would stop and talk for about 30 minutes just to catch up on life. He was one remarkable man. May He Rest In Peace And be looking down on all his family. He may be gone but never forgotten.❤️
September 1, 2020
September 1, 2020
Herr Brockman was the best! Always willing to stop and chat, always so kind and helpful. He will be missed, but I am sure his new job as an Angel will allow us to feel his work. God bless you Ernie, we will meet again.

Leave a Tribute

Light a Candle
Lay a Flower
Leave a Note
 
Recent Tributes
October 11, 2020
October 11, 2020
Best teacher I ever had! I was a student of his for 3 years at Cascade. Just found out tonight that he's no longer with us :( The German that I learned back then from him was the foundation for what turned out to be a lifelong love of the German language. I always thought about contacting him and showing him how far my German progressed since I was his student at Cascade. For some reason, I thought he would have been proud of me. Thank you, Herr Brockmann.


Lieber Herr Brockmann,
So viele Erinnerungen, die jetzt wie Hochwasser durch meine Gedanken fluten. Was kann ich sagen? Als ich ein junger Mann war, hattest du mich so beeinflusst, dass ich die deutsche Sprache gerne gelernt hat. Eigentlich lerne ich noch, wie immer. Es war und ist eine lebenslange Leidenschaft. Ich habe auch in Deutschland studiert, und habe immer an dich gedacht. Vielen Dank für alles mein Lieblingslehrer. Ich werde dich nie vergessen! Rühe in Frieden.

MfG,
September 12, 2020
September 12, 2020
Im Jahre 2003 hatte ich die Möglichkeit, Ernie das erste Mal kennen zu lernen. Es war im Rahmen eines Schüleraustausches zwischen der Cascade Highschool und dem Wolkenberg-Gymnasium Michendorf in Deutschland. Schnell haben wir uns angefreundet und es kam bei einer Tasse Kaffee zu einem regen Gedankenaustausch. Das wiederholte sich alle zwei Jahre bis 2015. Ernie gab mir einen tiefen Einblick in das Leben der US Amerikaner und er konnte mir viele Fragen beantworten. Gestern erhielt ich die Nachricht, dass Ernie von uns gegangen ist. Ich wünsche Dir alles Gute bei Deiner nächsten Reise. Sollte ich nochmals nach Everett kommen, wirst Du mir fehlen.
September 10, 2020
September 10, 2020
I work in the office at Cascade and loved seeing Ernie for a hug. It was always like catching up with an old friend. Ernie loved his coffee and I was always happy to help him find his cup a joe! After school we would talk about where we were heading, was it Trader Joe's? Costco? Home to see our honey? I am going to miss him a lot. I am glad to know his last days were so happy and spent with the people he loved most! May we all be so blessed! 
His Life
August 27, 2020
Life story of Ernie Brockmann

     Ernst Rudolf Brockmann was born on August 2, 1931 in Wilhelmshaven, Germany to his parents Henri Berthold Brockmann (1899-1974) and Ina Frieda (Jochimsen) Brockmann (1908-1995).  The family made their home in the heart of the city at Marienstrasse 12, Wilhelmshaven, Deutschland.  A year and a half after Ernie was born, he became a brother. Karl Heinz was born January 26, 1933.  The family enjoyed taking long leisurely bike rides.  Little Ernie would be in a kid bike seat on the front of his dad’s bike facing him and little Heinz would be on his mom’s bike.  The family would take extensive bike rides west of Wilhelmshaven into the countryside.  Ernie’s father was a talented soccer player.  He would take Ernie and Heinz to the big stadiums to watch professional soccer tournaments on many occasions.

     Ernie and his family moved to Hamburg in 1939.  After the war began, his father, Henri was reactivated into the German Navy as a Commander.  His mother, Ernie and brother were sent to a farm in Schwandorf, Bavaria to escape the heavy bombing in Hamburg.  His second brother, Hans Jurgen, was born during the war on January 25, 1941.  Ernie attended a small school in Schwandorf with less than 100 kids.  At recess, the kids would play soccer or “Volkerball”.  He also ran the 60-meter dash, 1000-meter dash, broad jump and long jump in sports competitions.  The music him and his family would listen to was mostly Bavarian folk, some classical and of course a lot of marching music.  Ernie would normally wear Lederhosen.

      Ernie attended a Military training academy, a part of Hitler youth starting in November 1943 located in Regensburg.  The military academy was only 40 kilometres south of their farm.  The Military Academy was a repurposed Roman Catholic Monastery, which was taken over by Hitler Youth leadership during the war.  3 monks remained on site during the war.  Ernie and his classmates were divided into squads, platoons and companies.  They stayed in 4-man rooms.His room was called, “Lutzen”.  They all wore military style uniforms.  The instructors were all Nazi officers who had doctorate degrees.  It was a very strict environment, there was no talking aloud. In the winter months at the farm it was very cold and the snow was several feet high so he would ski to school.  When he got home from school, he would have four hours of homework and chores around the Bavarian farm to complete.  Ernie and his brothers tended to their 350 rabbits, horses, chickens, geese, ducks and guinea hens.  In their free time they would play cards until late at night. 

      Towards the end of the war, conditions were worsening and the cities throughout Germany were getting heavily bombed.  Three weeks before the war’s end, Ernie escaped from the military academy with one of his buddies in April of 1945.  They watched from a distance as the war drew to an end.  American troops entered their farm on May 1, 1945.  The troops raided the house. 

     During the Battle of Normandy when the Allies (US, Canada and England) attacked the German occupied northern French coastline, Henri was captured at the submarine base of St. Nazarine, France.  He remained a prisoner of war in France from June 1944 until June 1947.  He was forced to slave labor for three years.  Once Henri was released, he returned to his family and moved them back up to Hamburg.  Ernie loved having his father home.  In 1948, Ernie and his dad took a long 130-mile bike ride from Hamburg to Wilhelmshaven, passing through Bremen and Henri’s hometown of Oldenburg.  They left Hamburg at 5 am and rolled into Wilhelmshaven around 4 pm.  It was quite an accomplishment and a wonderful memory getting to spend quality father, son time together.

     Shortly after the war, Ernie’s mother told him about her 4 siblings who were living in the United States that he didn’t know about.  It was at that moment, Ernie felt something inside him saying that he needed to go to America.  Ernie spent 3 years on a waiting list waiting to immigrate to America, and then in 1950, his wait was over.  He arrived by plane in New York, NY on July 22, 1950 (a week before his 19th birthday).  The next day, after a couple more flights, he reached his final destination in Portland, Oregon.  He stayed with his Aunt Marie (Jochimsen) and Uncle Bill Young.  Marie was Ernie’s mother’s oldest sister.  Their home was at 1325 SE 31st Ave, Portland, Oregon.

     Just as Ernie was getting settled, he heard word that Billy Graham was having his very first crusade in Portland on September 23, 1950.  It was at that revival that Ernie gave his life to the Lord and his life was forever changed.  Ernie soon started attending First Assemblies of God (a church that his Aunt Marie and Uncle Bill were founding members of).

     Ernie started working at Alpenrose Dairy in Portland.  He eventually worked his way up to Manager.  One of Ernie’s passions was fine cars.  In February 1951, he bought his first car, a 1946 Oldsmobile.  The following year, in April 1952, he purchased a brand new green 1952 Cadillac Coupe Seville.Although he owned mostly American made cars throughout his life in the U.S., Ernie thought that German made autos were the cream of the crop, especially Mercedes Benz.  He always praised their quality craftsmanship and smooth, quiet cabin ride.

     Ernie enlisted in the US Army on November 28, 1952.  Between 1952-1954 he was stationed in Germany and France as an Army Intelligence Officer.  After active duty, he was honorably discharged on October 27, 1954.  He stayed on with the Army Reserves in Portland until 1960 after serving a total of 8 years.  Ernie lived as a proud American veteran.  He was very patriotic and often said how thankful and blessed he was to live in America, the land of the free.  He received his United States citizenship in 1955, which he was very proud of.  Ernie got a job at Northwest Natural Gas as a Public Relations Junior Executive.  He worked there for 11 years from 1954 till 1965.

     In his first time back at First Assemblies of God, Ernie was called to the stage and everyone gave him a warm welcome back from his Army service.  Unknown to Ernie at the time, his future bride was watching in the audience hanging on his every word.  A friend suggested that JoAnn ask Ernie to speak at the next youth group.  They went on a double date for tea and JoAnn thought, “this guy is so interesting, I could listen to him for the rest of my life”.  Weeks passed and JoAnn wondered why he hadn't called on her.  She thought he wasn’t interested in her after all.  What she didn’t know is that Ernie was in fact interested in her, it was just that he always saw her attending church with what he thought was her boyfriend.  Ernie’s friend soon corrected him and told him that the guy she attended church with was her brother, Jerry.  Ernie was ecstatic and called on JoAnn immediately.

     Ernie and JoAnn had been going together for nearly a year, and it was Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1955 at the Prouse home.  Ernie was giddy with excitement and JoAnn wondered why he was acting so funny.  Suddenly, Ernie pulled out a ring and asked JoAnn to marry her.  She was overjoyed.  They both wed the next summer on August 24, 1956 at First Assembly of God, just 3 days after JoAnn’s 20th birthday.  After the wedding, they drove to Mount Rainier for a 4-night honeymoon, having a delightful time in the snow.

     Shortly after, Ernie and JoAnn purchased their first home together at 10819 NE Sacramento Street in Portland.  It was a cute white 3-bedroom home, a perfect place to start a family.  The next April, they traveled to Germany so that Ernie could introduce his new bride to his family.  While they were there, Ernie purchased a brand new 1957 Volkswagen Beetle.  He made sure to have it shipped back to Portland.

     It wasn’t but a year after their marriage that they welcomed their first beautiful baby girl.  Berinda JoAnn was born on September 3, 1957.  After Berinda was born, 3 more just as beautiful children followed.  Carmen Ina was born on April 24, 1960.  Their one and only boy, Bryan Ernest followed on October 9, 1961.  And finally, Deanna Renee arrived on March 20, 1963.  They felt blessed beyond belief and thanked God for four healthy beautiful children.

     Soon after they started having kids, Ernie realized that he needed to better provide for his family.  He started taking night classes at Portland State University while still working his day job at Northwest Natural gas.  He started out taking classes in pursuit of a law degree.  The other law students that Ernie was in class with were heavy smokers.  Every time Ernie would come home from class, JoAnn would tell him to undress before he came in the house because he reeked of smoke.  If there was one thing Ernie attested, it was smoking.  Before long, he made the decision to change his career path.  He felt God was telling him he needed to be a teacher.  After 8 years of night school, Ernie graduated with his BA in FL (German) and Social Sciences from Portland State University in 1965.

      Ernie’s first teaching job was at Tillamook High School in Tillamook Oregon as a German teacher.  The family rented a double wide mobile home a mile and half down the road from the high school.  At the end of his second year of teaching, on June 21, 1967, Ernie was awarded a one-year fellowship grant for advanced study in German at the University of Washington.  As a part of that grant he would also attend the Universities of Berlin, Munich and Bremen.  So, Ernie moved his family up to Seattle while he spent time studying at the UW and also in Germany before graduating with his masters in advanced FL (German) in 1968.

     Later that summer, Ernie took a job as a German teacher for the Everett School District.  His first school he taught at was Evergreen Middle School.  The Brockmann family made their final move to Everett, Washington where they purchased a home at 9233 Goblin Lane.  The family flourished in Everett and made it their forever home.  They began attending Bethany Christian Assembly and soon created some long lasting friendships.  Ernie can be described as a people person.  Everyone he meets loves him and he loves them back.  He would often say there are two kinds of people in this world, my friends and friends I haven’t met yet.  He was very friendly, kind and inviting.  He was also a great story teller, often telling amazing stories from his time during the second world war in Germany.  His students loved him too and he became known for his awesome war stories.

     A year after getting hired at the Everett School District, Ernie switched schools and began teaching at Everett High School until 1975.  In 1975, he became the Foreign Language Director of the Everett School District.  During that time, he continued to teach 2 German classes a day at Everett and Cascade High Schools.  In 1985, he decided to go back to full time teaching and took a job at Cascade High School.  Throughout his school career Ernie connected with his students in a way that not many teachers could.  He cared so much for each of his students and he was beloved by countless students over his career.  They called him Herr Brockmann.  During the month of October, the hallways would be filled with wonderful smells of sausage and sauerkraut, in which he made for his students to celebrate German Oktoberfest.  He also took his students on educational class trips to Germany where he taught them more about the history and culture of the country.

     During the 80’s, one by one his children started leaving the nest and getting married.  Carmen was first, marrying Mark Brian Yeadon (6/18/1958-) on August 16, 1980.  After that, his son Bryan married Melody Lynn Flathers (3/9/1961-) on February 25, 1984.  Berinda married Mark Steven Wolitarsky on August 16, 1986.  And finally, Deanna wed John Cameron on April 25, 1987.

      After their children got married and settled, they started having children of their own which made Ernie and JoAnn very happy  .They had 9 grandchildren altogether: Joshua David born July 17, 1984, Daniel Mark born December 2, 1986, Jacob Tyler born October 8, 1987, Alise Janae born June 4, 1988, Rachelle JoAnn born October 15, 1988, Nathan Garrett born August 23, 1989, Brock James born February 22, 1991, Madeline Esther born October 23, 1994, and Myrinda Shalom born April 4, 1996.  Their grandchildren were their pride and joy.  They spent as much time with them as they could.  There was rarely a moment in which they didn’t have at least one or two of their grandchildren at their house.  Ernie always took special interest in whatever each of his grandkids were into and made his interest as well.  He was very present in each of their lives and made sure to attend most every sports game, dance recital, piano recital etc.  He loved to take his grandkids to Airplane exhibits and give history lessons about what each plane was used for during the war.  His kids and grandkids could always expect an awesome war story, which always had them hanging on every word and detail. 

     In 1993, Ernie retired from teaching after working 25 years with the Everett School District (27 years total).  The 1993 Cascade yearbook was dedicated to him, or Herr Brockmann as they called him.  He was so surprised and touched that they would do that for him.Even though he officially retired, he wasn’t done with teaching just yet.  He continued to sub in the district for an additional 25 years after that.  He was everyone’s favorite sub and became known as a “legend” in his own right, often having classes standing and clapping for him when he entered the room to sub their class that day.  The students would always ask him to tell them war stories, and of course he didn’t disappoint.

     Around the time Ernie retired, him and JoAnn started attending Northshore Christian Church.  Ernie was always very involved there.  He was a part of many small groups over the years and was lead usher for the 11:00 service.He was well known, well respected and well loved by many in the congregation.

     As the years went by, Ernie and JoAnn found themselves approaching their 50-year wedding anniversary.  They had a big celebration held at their church, with over 100 people in attendance.  They also took their entire family on an Argosy cruise to further celebrate the event.  It was a wonderful time to look back and reflect on a wonderful marriage and love story that they had.  In thinking back on the countless times traveling through Europe, mostly Germany and Jersey Island and the 9 cruises they went on together to Alaska, Panama Canal, Caribbean and Canada, they sure had some fun times together.  Some of the family members refer to Ernie and JoAnn as the greatest love story of all time.  You could tell how much they loved each other by the sweet way they spoke to each other and the way they looked at each other.  They held hands every chance they got.  Whenever Ernie got home, he would holler “Hi honeybunch” and she would respond “Hi sweetheart, welcome home”.  Ernie took such good care of his wife, doing countless acts of service for her.

     Ernie continued to take such good care of his precious JoAnn even when her health deteriorated.  He stayed faithfully by her side, helping her with whatever she needed until she breathed her last breath and the Lord took her home on February 5, 2015 due to Metastatic Breast Cancer.

      By this time, Ernie’s grandchildren were all grown and were getting married and having babies of their own.  Ernie’s great grandkids were every bit as special to him as his kids and grandkids were.  He got the honor of walking his youngest daughter, Deanna down the aisle on August 28, 2016 to marry Jim Bernard Kelly (1961-).

     One day while he was enjoying some friends company at the French bakery on Silver Lake he caught the eye of a beautiful lady and engaged her in conversation.  Her name was Colleen Sue Cashen-Lienau (5/6/1952).  The two bonded instantly and although Colleen was a bit resistant at first, Ernie’s persistence won her over and she couldn’t help but fall in love with the sweet man.  She found him so interesting and very kind.  The happy couple married at Northshore Christian Church on September 2, 2017 surrounded by many friends and family.

     While married to Colleen, they made many lasting memories together.  They went to Europe on several occasions, went on a cruise to Panama Canal, and enjoyed some relaxation at Colleen’s vacation residence at Robson Ranch in Eloy, Arizona.  Colleen is a retired nurse and former nursing instructor at Northwest University.  She has such a big heart, a true helper and a lover of people.  Ernie’s family couldn’t help but fall in love with her too.

     Just a couple months after Ernie and Colleen’s 2nd wedding anniversary, Ernie suffered a stroke and fell at their vacation home in Arizona.  This was the start of Ernie’s deteriorating health throughout the course of that year.  But, Ernie never wavered or complained.  He was positive and optimistic and gave praise to the good Lord every day.  On Ernie’s 89th birthday, the family had a big celebration for him in his grandson’s backyard.  His family and some of his close friends were there to celebrate with him.  Everyone was laughing, telling stories and enjoying each other’s company and loving up on Ernie.  Ernie was taking it all in and had the biggest smile on his face.  He recalled to his wife Colleen who was sitting besides him that as he was looking around, he could see his children and his children’s children and their children and that he felt complete.  A week passed and Ernie suffered a series of major strokes which left him mostly unresponsive.  He was brought home, with his wife by his side every waking moment.  He was greeted by his family and friends who filtered in and out throughout the week, talking to him, singing to him, kissing him, praying over him, and shedding some tears.  He was so peaceful and not in pain.  Surrounded by his 4 children and wife, they said goodbye to the man and in the wee hours of the morning on August 25, 2020, Ernie Brockmann got to meet his Lord and Savior.

Please make sure to leave a story or memory of Ernie in the story section on this website.  God bless you!

Recent stories

The Best

December 17, 2020
One of the best men I ever met.  It was an honor to work with him, have him guest lecture, and share laughs over lunch.  He will be deepky missed and God Bless his family.

Such a Legacy

September 16, 2020
I have already put some notes in for memories of Herr Brockmann, but wanted to share a bit more.  When I shared his obituary on Facebook, my granddaughter commented.  She graduated from Jackson High School in 2019, she said that she had him as a substitute teacher a few times and loved him & the stories that he would share.  Such a legacy indeed, so glad that she was also able to have a part of him in her schooling as well.  So very blessed to have known such an amazing man!

Also thank you for sharing all of the wonderful pictures of him.  He always had that infectious smile.  If you were having a bad day, his smile would make it into a good day.  I strive to do the same, a shared smile goes a long way!

The Kindest Man I Have Ever Met

September 14, 2020
I met Ernie Brockman at Cascade High School, He was already retired when I started 20 years ago, but like all dyed-in-the-wool teachers, he kept coming back. The students adored him. He would tell the most amazing stories about his life--about his childhood and surviving war, about his young adulthood and starting businesses, about his retirement and his travels. He might even offer a brief dissertation on the ideal way to grow tomatoes. His stories were always the kind we like to hear, stories of victory over tribulations, of the invincible resiliency of a positive outlook, of good people doing good works and looking for good in others. There were no villains in his stories--just people doing the best they could in difficult circumstances. People are wrong when they say the 'good die young.' I think that sometimes the good hang out here a long time and teach as many of us as they can by example. Ernie Brockman has been an unforgettable teacher. 

Invite others to Ernest's website:

Invite by email

Post to your timeline