Ernest Evans Marr passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at the Rosefield Long Term Care Facility, in Innisfail, Alberta with his beloved wife, Nyna, by his side at the age of 87 years.

He was born on November 21, 1937 in Empress, Alberta to parents, Elec and Elsie Marr of Prelate, Saskatchewan. Ernest was the middle child of five siblings. The family lived in Prelate, Saskatchewan until he finished grade three after which his parents bought a farm just east of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. It was in grade four in Lloydminster that fate stepped in and Ernest met his soulmate, Nyna Herman – beginning a lifelong relationship that would include sixty-three years of marriage, three children and six grandchildren.

After graduating from high school in Lloydminster, Ernest decided to become a teacher and attended the Saskatoon Teachers College, a one-year program at the time. His first two years of teaching were in Steelman, Saskatchewan. He then went north to Watson Lake, Yukon to teach for a year. While at home in Lloydminster that Christmas, he proposed to Nyna, and they prepared for their life together.

Ernest and Nyna were married in Lloydminster, before friends and family on June 30, 1962. They immediately went to summer school in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan before honeymooning in Seattle, Washington later that summer. The young couple first lived in Regina, Saskatchewan where Nyna taught and Ernest completed another year of education at Regina College.

In the spring of 1963, their first child, Thomas Elec, was born. That fall they moved to Keg River, Alberta where Ernest accepted a combined teaching/administration position at the Dr. Mary Jackson School. In the spring of 1964 their second son, Timothy Ernest, was born. Five years later, Ernest and Nyna took a sabbatical year, moving the family to Edmonton, Alberta to study at the University of Alberta. Then it was off to the Menno Simons School (now Clearwater), north of Fairview, Alberta, for a year of teaching followed by three years teaching in the remote community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. In 1970, Ernest received a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta. Their daughter, Tamra Elaine Mary, was born in 1971.

The family moved to Dixonville, Alberta where Ernest and Nyna accepted positions at the local school then continued in a similar role at the elementary school in Manning, Alberta the following year.

His dream to live in Fort McMurray, Alberta, came true when, in 1975, he was the successful applicant for an administrative position at Dr. Karl A Clark Elementary School. During his twenty-three-year administrative career in Fort McMurray, he was called on to lead five different schools.

Life-long learners, Ernest and Nyna completed master’s degrees in education through the Gonzaga University’s distance learning program, while teaching full time and raising a family. He retired in 1998 and continued to live in Fort McMurray until Nyna retired in 2002.

In retirement, Ernest, always a willing participant, accompanied Nyna on their many adventures. They walked the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain, journeyed to China, the Antarctic, most European countries, India, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and several African countries including climbing some of Mt. Kilimanjaro. They set foot on all seven continents and dipped their toes in all five oceans. Ernest sailed with his boys, canoeing the length of the Saskatchewan river with family and travelling the length and breadth of Canada.

Always a man who was there for his family, it was extremely difficult for Ernest when dementia set in and began to impact his life. During his last four years, Ernest lived in Innisfail’s Rosefield Long Term Care Facility where he was devotedly cared for by Nyna and well taken care of by staff. He was loved and respected by all.

Ernest was an active and committed volunteer throughout his life. He was involved in the Boy Scout movement as a youth where he became a Master Scout and traveled by rail and ship to England for the World Jamboree in 1957. He was engaged in the TUXIS Parliament as a teenager and helped when his boys later attended. He instructed with the Junior Forest Warden youth organization. Ernest was very active in the United Church throughout his life – serving in a variety of roles, including board member and with Camp Kasota East. He and Nyna loved dancing and were members of square and round dancing clubs.

Ernest will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Nyna of Innisfail, Alberta, his children, Thomas (Lisa) Marr-Laing of Red Deer, Alberta, Timothy (Loree) Mastel-Marr of Edmonton, Alberta, and Tamra (Kevin) Dorma of Calgary, Alberta, his grandchildren, Christopher Marr-Laing (Kiana) of Victoria, British Columbia, Kate Marr-Laing of Montreal, Quebec, Cassandra Mastel-Marr of Edmonton, Alberta, Samantha Mastel-Marr of Kingston, Ontario, Kerri and Kimberley Dorma of Calgary, Alberta. He will also be deeply missed by his sisters, Barbara Ann Smith of Edmonton, Alberta, Hazel Peregrym of Kamloops, British Columbia, and his brother, Jim Marr of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan ; as well as in-laws, Al Cooper, George, Derrill and Ted Herman of Innisfail, Alberta, Peter (Marg) Herman of Bowden, Alberta, Alana (Neil) Anderson of Duck Lake, Saskatchewan; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ernest was predeceased by his brother, Francis and sisters-in-law, Irene (Jim), Nita (Al) Cooper, Kerri, Rose (George), Liia (Derrill) Herman, and brothers-in-law, Keith (Barbara Ann) Smith and Paul (Hazel) Peregrym and nephew Doug (Smith) Bowman.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Rosefield Continuing Care Centre for their wonderful care of Ernest over the last four years.

A Celebration of Ernest’s Life will be held at the Innisfail United Church, Innisfail, Alberta on Friday, August 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. If desired, Memorial Donations may be made in Ernest’s honor to the Innisfail United Church at innisfailuc.org, the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories at alzheimer.ca, or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006

• Date : 2025-07-19
• Location : (Innisfail) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com