Ernest "Ernie" Edward Bayles

Ernest “Ernie” Edward Bayles Jr., was born Monday, March 23, 1942 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Thursday, February 20, 2025 in La Mesa, California.

Ernie was the eldest son of Ernest & Mary Frances Bayles and 1 of 8 children (1 brother and 6 sisters). He was raised in Bradshaw, Maryland where he always called his home “the farm”. He was responsible for taking care of the garden, a cow, chickens and goats.

Ernie married his sweetheart, Paula Russell in 1961. They were married for over 63 years. Ernie and Paula had 9 children (5 sons and 4 daughters), raising them in San Diego. He lived with his family in San Diego for just shy of 60 years.

Ernie loved to dance. He loved dancing with Paula, any time of day or night. We kids grew up seeing our parents dance the jitterbug anytime the theme to Happy Days played on the TV, which was a lot! He and his sister Judy also won several jitterbug and swing contests in their teenage years. He was even on the “Buddy Deane Show,” a popular youth dance show in Baltimore, Maryland which competed against American Bandstand.

Ernie worked all his life. He started in paycheck jobs as early as 12 years old, helping his family. Once working, he made the payments on the family car and monthly rent until he left home. He was a very hard worker and impeccably honest. He recounted a very happy childhood.

Ernie was always smiling. Always a kind word: “Smiles are free”, he used to say. He loved his children very much, and even took in strays. The neighborhood kids loved it when he came home from work, because they knew Mr. Bayles would fetch all the balls that were trapped in the storm drain.

He always made time for his family. He and Paula always fed whoever came over their house. They had 9 children, but they never turned anyone away.

Ernie rode a bike to work most of our childhood, so Paula could have a car to take the kids back and forth to school. He’d ride his bike from work about 13 miles each way, worked 14-hour days and would still make it to some of his kids’ sporting events after school. He was always so proud and supportive of his children.

Other times Ernie would come home from work and holler, “Five minutes and the car is leaving for the beach!” If you fit in the station wagon you could go, even neighborhood kids. He loved the ocean. He was an excellent body surfer and a one-ski water skier! Bet you didn’t know that!

Depression times left an imprint on Ernie. He saved everything and said everything could be reused. He gave everything to his family and never thought about himself, sometimes to a fault. For years, Ernie took food and other household goods to Mexico, asking several grocery stores to donate their extra bread supplies to those in need. He would take a van loaded with bread every week to Tijuana. He had a self-made van route, feeding hundreds of people. He loved and served people his entire life.

He was a very selfless person and always believed and said he was so blessed. He would sing from Fiddler on the Roof although changing the words to: “Yes, I am a rich man, Ernie, Kelly, Paula, Kim, and Rosemary! Yes, I am a very rich man, Patrick, Peter, Thomas and Robert!” He sang that song to us our whole lives. He meant it.

Ernie will be greatly missed by his large, extended family and those who were blessed enough to have known him. His faith and example of serving others will live on through those who knew him. Ernie was a kind man who was a great dad to his children and adored his wife of 63 years.

He is survived by his wife Paula Bayles, his children: Kelly & Brian Love, Paula Ann & Dave Trevino, Kimberly & Dan Scalberg, Rosemary Bayles & Pamela Flynn, Patrick Bayles, Peter & Wendy Bayles, and Stacey Lupus. Ernie was preceded in death by his sons Ernie, Thomas and Robert Bayles. Ernie is also survived by his grandchildren Brittany Van Horn, Hunter, Taylor & Cortnee, Austin, and Morgan Love, Sarah Trevino & Buddy Wold, Jamie & Bobby Imperato, Daniel and Annetta “Andy” Scalberg, Julia, Blake, Brady & Kelli, Monica and Liam Bayles. His great grandchildren: Audrey and Ellie Van Horn, Ryder, Presley and Lainey Wold, Carmine Imperato, and Mickey Love, as well as his brother, sisters, brother-in-law and countless nieces, nephews and their families.

A funeral mass will be held at St. John of the Cross Church at 10 a.m on Monday, April 21, 2025. St. John of the Cross is located at 8086 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA 91945.

Please come join us in celebrating Ernie’s life.