Ernestine "Ernie" Frieda Merchant

Ernestine “Ernie” Frieda Merchant, 91, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, June 10, 2024, at a Sioux City hospital. Services will be 11am on Saturday, June 15 at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel with visitation at 10am.

Ernie was born December 18, 1932, in Yankton, South Dakota, the daughter of Ernest and Mable (Myles) Schmidt. She attended Yankton Public Schools. She met Charles Merchant, Sr. and fell in love with his curly hair, his guitar, and his car. They were married December 23, 1951, in Elk Point, South Dakota.

Ernie and Charles began their life together in Sioux City where they had five children: Charles Jr., John, Randy, Sr., Ron, and Rick. In 1970, Charles surprised Ernie by putting a $1 down payment on a home in South Sioux City. Much to her dismay at first, Ernie moved her family and settled into their new home. Ernie spent her time as a homemaker. She did an amazing job of raising her boys and taking care of everything home related. Ernie loved spending time gardening and reading.

Later in life, Ernie cherished the time she was able to spend with her family especially her boys, her daughters-in-law, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren. Ernie loved having the entire family over to her home on Holidays where she would start days ahead of time making every sort of dessert possible. Ernie loved watching her grandchildren grow up. There were many a sleep-over where her grandchildren would use every piece of furniture in the house to make forts throughout the living room and kitchen. Ernie loved chatting with her family and getting all of what she called “gossip” even if it was just finding out how her family and friends were doing, what new adventures they were up to, etc. Ernie was fiercely independent. Some may even have considered her stubborn, but she knew exactly what she wanted and found ways to make that happen.

Those left to cherish her memory include her four boys: Charles Jr. and his wife Nancy of Sioux City; Randy and his wife Pat of Sioux City; Ron of Sioux Falls, SD; and Rick of Sioux Falls, SD; her seven grandchildren: Mindy Merchant of Sioux Falls, SD; Lisa Ali and her husband Mohamed of West Des Moines, IA; Stacy Vogt and her husband Chris of Sioux City; Randy Jr. and his wife Lisa of Sioux City; Molly Anderson and her husband Gene of Sioux City; Nicole Calamanco and her husband Josue of Sioux City; and Thomas and his wife Cathy of LeMars, IA; her 20 great-grandchildren: Kira, Carter, Trey, Aleena, Joslyn, Rami, Hannah, Brystol, Saydee, Emma, Lincoln, Jackson, Dominic, Nate, Serenity, Quentin, Creedin, Zedrick, Skylar, and Sage; her siblings: Frederick Schmidt and his wife Marlene of Noble, OK; Joe Schmidt and his wife Ardith of Norfolk, NE; and James Schmidt and his wife Pat of Sioux City, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Ernie is preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her infant son, John; her daughter-in-law, Teresa Merchant; her granddaughter, Christina Merchant; her siblings, Viola Butrick, Lloyd Gilbertson, Jean Briggs, Frieda Warnock, Eugene Schmidt, and Helen Hill.  

Pallbearers will be Chuck Merchant, Jr., Randy Merchant Sr., Ron Merchant, Rick Merchant, Randy Merchant Jr., Mohamed Ali, and Chris Vogt. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.