Ernest Andrew Denecke

Ernest Andrew Denecke (Ernie), age 96, a resident of Albuquerque, passed away September 25, 2025. He is survived by his wife Roselle of 49 years, his children Sherry Lucki, Heidi Jarakis, Brandon Denecke, David Hodges, Robin Barber, seven Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandchildren.

Ernie was born February 9, 1929, in Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA. He lived in Zenith, WA from birth until he was drafted into the military in 1949. Ernie served flying a combat tour in the B-26. He was stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Korea in 1953 where he flew nineteen combat missions prior to the wars end. He retired from active duty Air Force at Fairchild AFB, WA with the rank of Lt. Col. on April 1, 1970 after twenty years and seven months of service. He retired with over 10,000 hours of Pilot in Command time in his Pilot log book. He also had a civilian Airline Transport Pilot Rating. He flew twenty different kinds of military and civilian aircraft beginning with the Ercoupe and ending with the B-52.

After retiring from the Military Ernie settled in Albuquerque, NM and became a Real Estate Broker in 1972 until 2017.

In 1978 Ernie became ill the Doctor told him he would die soon if he continued at his present pace. Ernie and Roselle made the decision to go sailing. They sailed from 1979 until 1985. They sailed a Westsail-32 named Aquarius, from Seattle, WA down the Pacific coast to Panama. After transiting the Panama Canal they sailed to Florida, Bermuda, Azores Islands, finally making landfall in Portugal. From there they sailed to Seville, Spain. They spent the next three years in the Mediterranean Sea visiting Balearic Islands, Italy, Greece and Turkey. They returned to Gibraltar, then sailed to Canary Islands, back across the Atlantic Ocean, transited the Panama Canal again and stopped in Costa Rica and Mexico before ending their adventure in Long Beach, CA in 1985. They sailed over 30,000 miles during their six year adventure.

In 1988 they purchased a twenty four acre farm along the banks of the Rio Grande in Sile, NM. They raised Black Angus cattle and farmed Alfalfa.

His life has been a memorable adventure!