Jerry Webb Ernst, 84, of Raleigh, North Carolina passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026, at Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh. He was born on July 19, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio to Webb Ernst and Margaret Gilhart Ernst who predeceased him along with his stepfather Elbert D. Wood. He was a graduate of Miami University of Ohio where he was a member of the first graduating class in the field of Paper Science and Engineering.

After a long career with E.I. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee and Wilmington, Delaware in research, operations, and planning engineering, he retired to begin a new career in the insurance industry in Raleigh where he made his home for 31 years. He found happiness in his work helping people, in his new church soon serving on the Vestry at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, in completing seven years of Bible Study Fellowship, and in being an early and faithful member of the Thursday Morning Men’s Bible Study at St. Michael’s.

He always said his greatest joy in life was having children and being Dad to Lori Ernst Witmer who predeceased him, Julie Ernst both of Atlanta, Jonathan Ernst (Allison) of Cary, and Catherine Ernst Saunders of Raleigh and being Pop to Sarah Witmer of Chicago, Jeremy, Lauren, and Christopher Ernst-Fortin of Atlanta and Evelyn, Zachary, and Caroline Ernst of Cary. He is also survived by his brother Thomas J. Ernst, sister-in-law Cassie Rogers, and his niece Samantha Ernst Hickey all of Dayton, Ohio.
Surviving also is his wife of 48 years, Jan Yarbrough Ernst

Jerry lived the life of a good and kind and patient man of quiet faith. A Memorial Service is planned for him on Thursday, June 25, 2PM at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.