Ernesteen B. Eberhardt
Ernesteen Luise Eberhardt passed away January 23, 2024 following a short illness. She was born February 28, 1919, the second child of William Bartelt and Elsie Banzhof Bartelt, joining older brother William at home in Parkside, New Jersey.
Growing up New Jersey style meant trips to “the shore” and summers in Cape May. Since it was home for many years, she was often teased about the accent she failed to shed despite 70+ years in Santa Barbara.
Ernesteen graduated from Haddon Heights High School and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University in 1941. After graduation, she spent the summer with her uncle in Phoenix, Arizona where she met Gordon McConnell who swept her off her feet. Her mother, fearing the lure of the west since her own brother and sister had moved to Arizona, made sure Ernesteen signed a teaching contract before she left for Phoenix. Although she dutifully returned to teach at Verona High School in New Jersey, it had not simply been a summer romance. Ernesteen and Gordon wed in 1943.
Gordon was a glider pilot in the European Theater during World War II and when he returned safely home, they left New Jersey to settle in Santa Barbara in 1946. Here they raised their family and originated McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams in 1950. They developed their own recipes using only cream, eggs, sugar, and natural flavors. Decades before Time Magazine declared it the best ice cream in the world, loyal customers knew this to be true. Longtime Santa Barbarans often regaled her with memories of childhood trips to the original McConnell’s store on the corner of State and Mission. Ernesteen later continued her teaching career in home economics at San Marcos High School.
Gordon died in 1963 and she later married Walter Eberhardt, the mailman who used to deliver anxiously-awaited letters from Gordon during the war years. Walter was, at the time, the Postmaster of Haddon Heights. Upon his retirement, they moved from New Jersey to Santa Barbara where the pair spent wonderful years together until his death in 1994. They enjoyed traveling abroad, some of their more memorable destinations being South Korea, Germany, and Norway.
“Ernie” or “Mommom” as she was known to friends and family, was the consummate entertainer. Guests, and there were many, were treated to everything she treasured about Santa Barbara. She always loved a party, birthdays in particular, and hosted a fun-filled annual Oktoberfest. She relished the fun of making April Fool’s Day calls to her friends, waking the neighborhood on New Year’s Eve with the clanging of cowbells, and playing one of the 76 songs on her car horn, the most frequently heard being “Charge!” which frightened many a pedestrian who was moving too slowly for her taste.
Ernesteen expressed her desire to leave behind a trail of smiles and bright, sunny days. She wanted our memories of her to be happy ones and in this she more than succeeded, as any neighborhood child lucky enough to be invited to one of her tea parties or to sleep in a tepee in her back yard can attest. She will be remembered for her positivity, her generosity and her boundless energy. Ernesteen was one of the oldest members of the Santa Barbara Women’s Club.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, husbands and a daughter, Elise S. McConnell, a vibrant local artist. She is survived by one son, William G. McConnell (Sherry) of Santa Barbara; former daughter-in-law (Ann McConnell), two grandsons, Carl McConnell (Ashley) of Somis, and Gordon McConnell of Santa Barbara; and great grandchildren, Vienna and Ambrose.
At her request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to a charity of your choice.