Ernest Vincent 'Ernie' Yuhas
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Ernest Vincent "Ernie" Yuhas, 92, of Carrier Mills, formerly of Harrisburg, passed away at 4 a.m. Friday, May 7, 2010, at the Carrier Mills Nursing Home.
Ernie was the son of Barney and Katie (Routz) Yuhas and was born in Harrisburg on Dec. 3, 1917. He grew up in the Harco community. The family moved back to Harrisburg for his junior year in high school.
Ernie was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Harrisburg, an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus and a 4th Degree Knight and member of the honor guard.
He was a 59-year member of the West Frankfort Kiwanis Club and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1957 and 1973 for club and civic activities and for his outstanding work with the high school Key Club. He was a former member of the Moose Lodge of West Frankfort for 40 years and a 26-year member of the Elks Lodge in West Frankfort. He was a 54-year member of the Philip Whiteside Post of the Orient American Legion and he belonged to the Shawnee Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Harrisburg.
He belonged to the 2nd Air Division Association of the 8th Air Force and also the 446th Bomb Group Association, 705th Squadron. He was a member of the Franklin County Retired Teachers Association, and was a life member of the Southern Illinois University Alumni Association.
Ernie flew and fought combat as a first lieutenant in the European Theater of Operations with the 446th Bomb Group, 705th Squadron of the 8th Air Force during World War II. He flew 35 combat missions as a bombardier-navigator and nose gunner over Germany and the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Air Medal with five Silver Oak Leaf Clusters for heroic effort in combat against the enemy. He also received five other medals for combat.
Ernie taught at West Frankfort Community High School for 32 years and was a business education teacher and the chairman of the business education department. He was the Kiwanis-Key Club Chairman and high school faculty adviser of the Key Club for 32 years. He was on the West Frankfort Redbird coaching staff for 30 years. He coached football for 22 years, track for 13 years, basketball for 11 years and baseball for seven years. The school board named the football practice field for him because of his work in football and also for his work with the high school Key Club.
Ernie was preceded in death by his father, Barney; his mother, Katie; his sister, Mary Juday; his brother, John and wife, Blanche (Hicks) Yuhas; his brother-in-law, William E. Coakley; his nephews, Robert Ernest Juday, Timother Joseph Coakley and John Michael Yuhas; and his niece, Katie (Coakley) Currier.
Ernie is survived by his sister, Helen Coakley of Cranston, R.I.; two nieces, Karyl Yuhas of Greenville, Ky. and Georgette Coakley of West Warwick, R.I.; two nephews, William Coakley of Salem, Mass. and Michael (Julie) Coakley of North Attleboro, Mass.; and several grand-nephews and grand-nieces.
Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at Reed Funeral Chapel on Monday, May 10, 2010. A Rosary Service will be held at 7 p.m. with a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Chalice Service immediately following the Rosary Service. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Ignatius Okonkwo at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Harrisburg at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 11, 2010, followed by burial in Sunset Lawn Cemetery. He will be buried with his mother, and his father, and next to his sister, Mary. Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the American Legion Post No. 167 of Harrisburg. Condolences may be sent to the family through the Obituary Page at www.reedfuneralchapel.com.