Mr. Ernest (Ernie) Joseph Zeis, 85, of Port Charlotte, Florida, formerly of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, passed away Saturday, March 20, 2010, at his Port Charlotte residence.

Ernie was born the third child of ten children, on June 22, 1924 to the late William and Pauline (nee – Schill) Zeis, in Mowbray, North Dakota. Graduating from Langdon High School in 1942, Ernie left the family farm where he was raised and entered into military service on April 15, 1943. During his time in service with the U.S. Navy as a Machine Gunner, Ernie participated in numerous combat engagements, and was wounded while serving on the St. Louis, for which he received the Purple Heart in addition to other war medals. After his return from World War II, Ernie moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and began work as a truck driver for Aurora Transfer Company. He also bought a bar, naming it Double Z. In 1947 he met and married his first wife Florence, and soon after sold his bar, bought his own tractor trailer and became a wild-cater, an independent trucker for the next 20 years.

In 1969 Ernie built a home in Port Charlotte to which he retired in 1970. Still young, he started working for General Development, where he worked until completely retiring in 1987. After his first wife of over 50 years, Florence died in 1999, Ernie met Cecilia B. Bird and married her on May 18, 2002. He and Cecilia enjoyed boating, and Ernie became interested in flying, and flew as often as possible. He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 82, and American Legion Post 110, both in Port Charlotte, and was a member of the Military Order Purple Heart U.S.A.

He is survived by his beloved wife Cecilia B. Zeis; 2 brothers, Eddie and Paul Dohl; 4 sisters, Dorothy Ostergaard, Anna Mae Halstensgaard, Agnes Couillard, and Alice (Rocky) Rockwell; 6 step-children, Cindy (Clay) Longstreth, Chuck, Tim and Danny Crowe, Michelle Bird, and Brandy (Ingo) Emde ; 11 step-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his first wife and his parents, Ernie was preceded in death by 2 brothers, Art and Leonard, and a sister Evelyn Couillard.