February 22, 1939 – July 11, 2025
Ernie, long-time resident of Cerritos, passed away on July 11, 2025. He was born in Los Angeles on February 22, 1939. He was the only son of Kuhachi and Shizue Ikuta.
Ernie lived most of his life in California, except during World War II, when his family was interned at Amache Relocation Center in Colorado. After the war the Ikutas returned to Los Angeles. They established Susie’s Cleaners (named for his mother), where Ernie often helped out.
Much of Ernie’s youth centered around scouting, specifically Koyasan Boy Scout Troop 379. He reached the rank of Eagle Scout and was a snare drummer in the troop’s drum and bugle corps. The group performed at the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955.
Ernie graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and earned a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics from Los Angeles State College (now known as Cal State L.A.).
He began his career at General Dynamics in Pomona, Rockwell/Autonetics and Printrak in Anaheim. Several contract jobs took him to the East Coast. Ernie worked for ASI International Systems in Ridgecrest and retired from Boeing.
Volunteerism was very important to Ernie. He enjoyed coaching youth baseball, helping out at schools and our local community center. He also served on Troop 379’s anniversary committee and was co-editor of the commemorative booklet.
Favorite hobbies included camping and fishing, stamp collecting and trying out new recipes. He always looked forward to family summer vacations, often visiting our national parks.
Ernie is survived by his wife, Kay; daughter, Eileen; and son, Elliot. He was predeceased by his father, Kuhachi; mother, Shizue; and sister, Sakae. Ernie will be deeply missed by his family and friends. A celebration of Ernie’s life will be held in the near future.