Ernest "Ernie" Hiatt died Oct. 21, 2015, after a battle with cancer. He did so much to add to the quality of life in Fulton County and influenced so many people I felt that he should be memorialized by someone who knew him for many years. I attended Woodrow Elementary School with his wife Carolyn, so I feel moved to tell his story. My sons camped at Ernie's farm when in Boy Scouts in the 1970s. So Bill and I have been friends with Ernie for most of our lives. Ernie was born June 3, 1934, to Clarence and Charlotte Hiatt on a farm in Richland Township, Fulton County. He was a lifelong resident of Richland Township. As a young man he helped his family at the Farmers Market in South Bend, taking chickens and produce there to sell. Ernie graduated from Richland Center High School in 1952. He joined U.S. Naval Reserves on April 10, 1952, at age 17. Sheriff Laurence Norris had to sign to show that he had no arrests in order for him to join underage. He graduated from Great Lakes Naval Base Oct. 3, 1952, came home and married Carolyn Woods on Oct. 5, 1952. They were married 63 years. He served 16 years but never went overseas. The last six years were spent as a recruiter in South Bend. He was honorably discharged in 1969. He operated his Hiatt Electric Company at Leiters Ford 1956-1975 when he moved the business to his home and continued until recently. A lifetime Boy Scout member, Scoutmaster and executive, Ernie was awarded the Silver Beaver, was in Order of the Arrow and was a trainer for Wood badge leaders. An outgoing person, Ernie joined many organizations: Masonic Lodge for 50 years, American Legion and Moose Lodge and Scottish Rite, in which he was a lifetime member. He was also in Rochester Kiwanis Club. Ernie was one of the founders, or first to join, Fulton County Sheriff Reserves and served 34 years. He was president a couple of years. He was founder and first president of Fulton County Parks Department. He started a Coleman Museum in 1985 at his home in a building that he filled with lanterns, stoves, all kinds of Coleman items, even a Coleman motorbike. In 1983 he started a Coleman Collectors Club. He published the Coleman Collectors Courier for several years. When the Akron Jonah Club disbanded in 1978, Ernie, a member of the club since 1962, bought their fish frying equipment. He continued to cook fish for the community to raise money for projects that ranged from helping with funeral expenses to helping the museum and churches and other groups. His fish fry truck burned at the Fulton County Museum in October 2010 but he rebuilt it and sold it in 2015. Carolyn threw a party for his 80th birthday at the Fulton County Museum in 2014. More than 400 people attended. I remember when Ernie was president of the Fulton County Historical Society in 1970. He was a charter member of the historical society from its beginning in 1963. He served on the society board of directors the last two years of his life. He was also a member of the Fulton County Historical Power Association and was in charge of the food vendors during their shows. He owned seven antique Allis Chalmers tractors. On the political scene, Ernie was a member of the Richland Township election board, Richland Township Advisory Board, Fulton County Zoning Board - one of the first members - and the youngest member of Indiana Conservation Inc., for which he had an office in Indianapolis. Ernie and Carolyn have two children, Gary and wife Sara, Altamont Springs, Fla., and Cheryl Bieler, Boston, Mass. Cheryl has two sons, Ryan, Memphis, Tenn., and Justin and wife Courtney, Annapolis, Md., who have one son, Owen Bieler. Ernie drove an Amish taxi for several years to help his Amish neighbors. Ernie gave comedy programs, imitating Chick Sales on how to build an outhouse, and Charley Weaver. Dressed as an old-timer, he was hilarious. The last time I saw Ernie was when he was in Hickory Creek nursing home. His memory was perfect and he chatted with my husband Bill for more than an hour about old times and old friends. I gave him my Trail of Courage badge. He said he wanted a gooseberry pie, so I told Melinda Clinger. Her mother made a gooseberry pie for him and he was so happy. He refused to eat supper but had pie. Anderson Lake is on Ernie's farm on County Road 450 North about four miles west of U.S. 31. This is believed to be the site of one of Chief Aubbeenaubbee's villages and the birthplace of Abram Burnett, who was on the 1838 Trail of Death. Ernie built a clubhouse at the lake and had reunions, picnics and meetings there. I wish I had written down all the stories Ernie told me. He told of riding the school bus and the bus driver, William Miller, told of cemeteries no longer in existence. Ernie recalled the old Boy Scout camp at the present Ruth Kern Nature Preserve, the busloads of scouts that came from Chicago to stay at the camp, so many, many stories. I told him that he should write a book, but he never did. So this is my tribute to Ernie Hiatt, an old friend and fellow historian. We will long reap the benefits from his life on this earth. I wish I had written down all the stories Ernie told me.' (Reprinted from the Rochester Sentinel article authored by Shirley Willard)