Loren Emerson Earnest, 92 of Madras passed away Friday, March 9, 2012.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Madras, Oregon. Bishop Alan Earnest will conduct. Committal will be held at Mt. Jefferson Memorial Park in Madras.

Loren was born on June 30, 1919, in Lucas, Kansas, to Homer Lee and Grace Ostin (Ivie) Earnest. As a youth, he moved to Nyssa, Oregon, where he attended schools and graduated High School in 1937.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941. During WWII he was sent to Tinian in the South Pacific where he was a navigator on B-29 bomber, the Anne Garry III. The ship was shot down on his 20th mission over Japan and ditched in the ocean over Iwo Jima on May 25, 1945. He was on Tinian Island when the bomb's for Hiroshima and Nagasaki arrived. After the war he was honorably discharged October 1945. Then Loren served in the Air Force Reserves for over 25 years. He also served in Vietnam on C141 star lifters flying troops and supplies. He retired from the service as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1972. He received Awards and Citations including Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.

Loren married Ada "LaRue" Nye on Feb 1, 1946 in Nyssa, Oregon; they were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 31, 1964. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on February 1, 2012.

In March of 1950 they moved to Culver from Nyssa, Oregon and was a building contractor until he retired in 1980.

Loren joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1961 in Madras and has been very active. He serves as a Counselor in the branch Presidency, High Counselor, helped with the Dedication of the Madras Ward on the program with a young Apostle named Thomas S. Monson. In 1981 he served a mission with his wife, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pikesville, Kentucky (Louisville Mission).

Loren lived as a snowbird in Good Life, Arizona for 9 months of the year, for several years.

He enjoyed playing golf and loved being with his 5 sons, playing ball and supporting their activities with 4-H and F.F.A.

Surviving are sons; Loren Stanle Earnest and his wife Sandra of Irvine, California. Stephen Douglas Earnest & his wife Lark of Madras, Oregon, Alan Lee Earnest and his wife Jann of Culver, Oregon, Scott Eric Earnest and his wife Bobi Jo of Conifer, Colorado, Robert Earl Earnest of Madras, Oregon. 26 grandchildren and 64 great grandchildren.

He was preceded by his parents, his wife; La Rue who died February 17, 2012, and 2 sisters.