Atlanta, IL – Robert “Bob” E. Ernst, 83, of Atlanta, passed away at his home on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Funeral Services will be held at Quiram-Peasley Funeral Home in Atlanta on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Mr. Ron Otto will officiate.
Burial will be at Waverly Cemetery in Waverly, Illinois.
Robert Eugene Ernst was born April 21, 1943, in Bloomington, Illinois, the son of Lawrence E. and Dorothy M. Wiechman Ernst. He was united in marriage to Donna Kay Keune on June 24, 1968. She survives.
Bob is also survived by one daughter, Diana (Chris Walton) Harmon; two grandchildren: John (Laura) Harmon and Cassidy Walton; two great-grandchildren: Meya Harmon and Leo Harmon; and one brother, Larry Ernst.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Bob was a 1961 graduate of Bloomington High School. He met the love of his life, Donna, when she was just 18 and staying at a boarding house on the ISU campus while she attended school. His mother told him there was a new girl living there and encouraged him to go introduce himself – advice that changed the course of his entire life. The moment he saw her, he said it was “love at first sight” and from that day on, they were rarely apart. They were married on June 24, 1968, beginning more than 62 years of devotion, partnership, and a bond so steady and deep that they remained inseparable for the rest of his life.
Though his family was small, his love for each of us was anything but. Like the 62 years he spent devoted to his wife, he poured the same steady, wholehearted love into his daughter, his two grandchildren, and his two great-grandchildren. And in his later years, he found a constant companion in his beloved dog, Rocky, who was truly his very best friend in the world.
He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Bears fan, rarely missing a game and always cheering with unwavering loyalty. Throughout his life, he found joy in collecting everything, from baseball cards to Beanie Babies, toothpick holders, and most of all, the arrowheads he treasured so much. In his final years, he discovered a new source of happiness in creating handmade, one-of-a-kind, custom wreaths with his daughter, a pastime that brought them both pride and precious time together.
Even in the hardest moments recently, he never let go of the light that made him who he was. No matter the challenges he faced, he kept his sense of humor close, offering a quick joke or gentle laugh. His positive attitude did not waiver and his smile – steady, warm, and unmistakably his – remained a constant reminder of his strength. It was one of the many ways he showed love; by choosing joy, even when life made it difficult.
Final arrangements are entrusted with Quiram-Peasley Funeral Home of Atlanta.