Virgil "Ernie" Ernest Love

Virgil Ernest (“Ernie”) Love, age 92, died at his home in Wichita, on September 3, 2023, after an eleven month battle with cancer. Ernie was born on April 17, 1931, at the Love Family Farm, in Millerton, Kansas, the youngest of 7 children. The Loves moved to Clearwater when Ernie was a child, where he attended school, worked as a paper boy and as an attendant at his family’s Standard Oil Station & Western Auto. Most importantly during this time, Ernie met the love of his life, Corene Lu Curless. After Ernie and Corene graduated from Clearwater High School in 1949, Ernie worked in the family business until he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served with distinction for four years in the Korean conflict.

After Ernie’s discharge, he and Corene married and moved to Haysville, where Ernie began his career at the KG&E Murray Gill Substation, retiring in 1992 as a Shift Foreman.  Ernie and Corene had two children, Brenda Marie and Scott Edwin. The Love Family enjoyed yearly summer vacations together, often camping in places such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, various places in Colorado, and Padre Island, Texas, where their children first saw the ocean. The family vacations they shared were some of the Loves’ happiest times. Ernie was considered a “vacation planner extraordinaire.”

Ernie was a Haysville Scoutmaster.  He served as an Elder in the Disciples of Christ Christian Church and sang tenor in many different choirs throughout his life.  He was an active member of the American Legion Ernest Gordon Post 93 in Clearwater, and he served on the Planning Commission for Haysville. In 1985, Ernie began to run for exercise, and it quickly became a passion. Through the years, he ran competitively, completing the Tulsa marathon and several half marathons. Most often he ran 5K and 10K races, usually winning his age group. He represented the State of Kansas at the 1997 and 1999 Senior Olympics, running in the 5K and 10K races. Ernie kept detailed records in running journals, and by the time he hung up his running shoes, he logged an impressive 35,000 miles. Thereafter, he continued to walk for exercise up until the last year of his life.  

After Corene passed away in 1998, Ernie met and married Judith Ann Woodring. Ernie and Judy lived at their home in Wichita until 2015, when they relocated to Wichita Presbyterian Manor.  They were married for 24 years, until Judy passed away in April of this year.

Ernie was preceded in death by his wife, Corene Lu Love, his second wife, Judith Ann Love; his parents, Orie and Fayrah (Haines) Love, and six brothers and sisters, Viola Bates, Doris Murry, Bill Love, Orie Love, Leila Anderson, and Virginia Lawrenz. Ernie is survived by, and will be deeply missed by his daughter, Brenda (Steve) Collins, of Eureka MO; his son, Scott Love (Larry Cassil); granddaughters, Lauren (Sarah) LoveCombs, granddaughter Mackenzie Love (Tyson Bell), and two great-grandsons, Emerson and Everett LoveCombs, all of Oklahoma City, OK; grandson, Paul (Valarie) Collins, of Nixa, MO; granddaughter, Sarah Love Collins (Florimond Girard-Gellens), and his great-grandson, Gabriel, all of Belfort, France; as well as dozens of nieces, nephews, and friends around the country. 

Memorials: Westwood Presbyterian Church, 8007 W. Maple St, Wichita, KS 67209 OR  Kansas Honor Flight, Inc., PO Box 2371, Hutchinson, KS  67501, OR the Good Samaritan Program, c/o Wichita Presbyterian Manor, 4700 W. 13th St. N., Wichita KS  67212.

Visitation, 9am, Fri, Sept. 8 at Westwood Presbyterian Church, Wichita, with the funeral service to follow at 10am. Interment at Greenwood Cemetery, Oatville. 

Funeral will be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@westwoodwichita/featured.

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