In Memory of
Ernest
Falkenham
Falkenham
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Obituary for Ernest Falkenham
Please use Queen Street entrance to access the church service due to road construction.
Falkenham, Ernest (Ernie) Melvin, (aka “Mr. Intensity” aka “the OG”), 75, of Harmony, NS, passed away on July 29, 2023, surrounded by his family after a courageous (and downright stubborn) battle with cancer.
Ernie was born on August 20, 1947, to the late Kimball and Catherine (MacInnis) in Antigonish. He grew up in the beautiful community of Ballantynes Cove and spent his early years living in the Cape George lighthouse where his grandfather was the lighthouse keeper. He spent many summers working on the wharf or on a fishing boat before getting his mechanic license and starting his career.
He lived a colorful childhood always finding some kind of mischief to get into between the Brook, the Wharf, and the Point. He often landed home with all manner of four legged pets….and one infamous gander. He put his mechanic training to good use fixing the vehicles he wrecked under sometimes sketchy circumstances on Hwy 337. Many engines were put to the test when he was behind the wheel and more than a few of them failed, but Mr. Intensity wasn’t scared to tackle any repair. Usually finding a way to squeeze out a few more ponies in the process. Even in his most challenging days, he enjoyed sharing stories of mechanical carnage from back in the outlaw days with his friends. He also made it a priority to check-in daily on the status of mechanical repairs of the nursing staff’s vehicles, making thinly veiled threats of what he’d do if he thought they were getting ripped off.
Mr. Intensity met his future wife and love of his life, Therese, in the typical rural manner – under the influence (half cut) at a baby shower. She did her best to keep him on the straight and narrow through 51 years of marriage but even her guardrails weren’t enough to keep him reined in when he got out on two wheels. Together with his two wheeled friends, many road trips were made crisscrossing the Maritimes, occasionally at speed. Arthritis tried to slow him down in his later years, but he still perked up to the sound of a rumbling V-twin or the scream of an inline four whenever he heard one.
Ernie’s love for all animals only grew in his later years and he always kept an inventory of dog treats on hand. Between dogs, cats, horses and sheep – no animal in his presence ever went hungry. Even the lizard that arrived home one summer was well fed, Mr. Intensity would spend many hours catching moths in the garage to feed Izzy the gecko. He embraced social media once he realized it was free and could be found in recent years often deep in messenger conversations, typing one finger at a time. He met many people online that he’d never actually met in person, but he became close friends with all. He had absolutely no fear of the consequences of an errant click, and everyone liked to see the morning “thumbs up” from @mrintensity123 in their inbox.
As much as he loved the sound of a highly revving engine or the playful bark of a dog begging at his feet, it was his grandchildren that made him smile most. He was so proud of the eight grandkids and his eyes lit up every time he heard their voice or saw them come through his door.
Ernie is survived by his wife of 51 years, Therese (Deyoung); his daughter, Melanie Toews (Jason); grandchildren, Michael, Jacob, Claire and Andrew; and son, Marcel (Erin) and their children, Sarah, Abigail, Lael and Vivienne. He was predeceased by his sister, Cathy MacGillivray; nephews, Jay Brown and Michael Falkenham.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nova Scotia SPCA or the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 4th at 12:15pm in the Immaculate Conception Church, Truro, with Father Jim O’Connor officiating. Reception to follow in Campbell Hall. Online condolences may be made at www.ColchesterCommunity.com.
Falkenham, Ernest (Ernie) Melvin, (aka “Mr. Intensity” aka “the OG”), 75, of Harmony, NS, passed away on July 29, 2023, surrounded by his family after a courageous (and downright stubborn) battle with cancer.
Ernie was born on August 20, 1947, to the late Kimball and Catherine (MacInnis) in Antigonish. He grew up in the beautiful community of Ballantynes Cove and spent his early years living in the Cape George lighthouse where his grandfather was the lighthouse keeper. He spent many summers working on the wharf or on a fishing boat before getting his mechanic license and starting his career.
He lived a colorful childhood always finding some kind of mischief to get into between the Brook, the Wharf, and the Point. He often landed home with all manner of four legged pets….and one infamous gander. He put his mechanic training to good use fixing the vehicles he wrecked under sometimes sketchy circumstances on Hwy 337. Many engines were put to the test when he was behind the wheel and more than a few of them failed, but Mr. Intensity wasn’t scared to tackle any repair. Usually finding a way to squeeze out a few more ponies in the process. Even in his most challenging days, he enjoyed sharing stories of mechanical carnage from back in the outlaw days with his friends. He also made it a priority to check-in daily on the status of mechanical repairs of the nursing staff’s vehicles, making thinly veiled threats of what he’d do if he thought they were getting ripped off.
Mr. Intensity met his future wife and love of his life, Therese, in the typical rural manner – under the influence (half cut) at a baby shower. She did her best to keep him on the straight and narrow through 51 years of marriage but even her guardrails weren’t enough to keep him reined in when he got out on two wheels. Together with his two wheeled friends, many road trips were made crisscrossing the Maritimes, occasionally at speed. Arthritis tried to slow him down in his later years, but he still perked up to the sound of a rumbling V-twin or the scream of an inline four whenever he heard one.
Ernie’s love for all animals only grew in his later years and he always kept an inventory of dog treats on hand. Between dogs, cats, horses and sheep – no animal in his presence ever went hungry. Even the lizard that arrived home one summer was well fed, Mr. Intensity would spend many hours catching moths in the garage to feed Izzy the gecko. He embraced social media once he realized it was free and could be found in recent years often deep in messenger conversations, typing one finger at a time. He met many people online that he’d never actually met in person, but he became close friends with all. He had absolutely no fear of the consequences of an errant click, and everyone liked to see the morning “thumbs up” from @mrintensity123 in their inbox.
As much as he loved the sound of a highly revving engine or the playful bark of a dog begging at his feet, it was his grandchildren that made him smile most. He was so proud of the eight grandkids and his eyes lit up every time he heard their voice or saw them come through his door.
Ernie is survived by his wife of 51 years, Therese (Deyoung); his daughter, Melanie Toews (Jason); grandchildren, Michael, Jacob, Claire and Andrew; and son, Marcel (Erin) and their children, Sarah, Abigail, Lael and Vivienne. He was predeceased by his sister, Cathy MacGillivray; nephews, Jay Brown and Michael Falkenham.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nova Scotia SPCA or the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 4th at 12:15pm in the Immaculate Conception Church, Truro, with Father Jim O’Connor officiating. Reception to follow in Campbell Hall. Online condolences may be made at www.ColchesterCommunity.com.