Ernestine Burns Rasner

Ernestine Burns Rasner, 87, passed away on July 18, 2017. A private family service will be held at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home with Pastor Steve Abbe presiding. 'Miss Ernie,' or 'Tina' to those who knew & loved her, was born in Kosse, Texas on September 17, 1929 to Sallie Oneida Swinnea Burns & Charles Ernest “Coot” Burns. Ernie & her husband, Leslie August Rasner, would have celebrated their 70th anniversary next May...still holding hands as they went to sleep each night. During their early married life, Ernie & Les barely survived the devastating Waco Tornado in 1953 when a building collapsed on top of them while in their convertible. Ernie loved sports and all things Baylor. This was inspired by her studies there as well as her husband being a member of the Baylor faculty for over forty years. Rarely did she miss a Baylor football, baseball, or basketball game. Ernie’s high-energy, competitive nature was passed on to her two sons & five grandchildren. She was totally & unabashedly committed to her family, making them the focus of her life. She was incapable of getting angry with them, although her sweet nature was challenged when one of them squirted a stream of ketchup into her beloved, untouchable, French Twist coiffure. Her complete support & devotion to her family & their involvement in sports kept her running from one event to another. And much to the dismay of the local referees & umpires, Ernie was always more than happy to 'enthusiastically' point out any error in their judgement. Known for her meticulous scorekeeping, Ernie kept the records from every baseball game she ever attended. In fact, her last day was spent criticizing the Texas Rangers’ manager for leaving the pitcher in too long. When Ernie wasn’t attending a sporting event, she could be found two-stepping at Geneva Hall with Les on Saturday nights, gardening & watching the birds, or playing ‘42’ with friends & family. If you ever saw a blur go by when shopping at the mall, it was probably Ernie & Les walking at supersonic speed. The annual Rasner family vacations were always her favorite time of year. They likely hold the record of the most Disneyland visits by any family who didn’t actually live there. Ernie is survived by her husband, Les, her son, Blake Rasner & wife Diane, her son, Brent Rasner & wife Mary, & 5 grandchildren - Reid, Ross, Ryan, Brady & Shannon Rasner. The family would also like to express their gratitude to Angie Burdett & Brenda Tiedemann for their devoted care. Ernie was a devout Christian & lifetime member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. Memorials may be made to Mission Waco or the Waco Humane Society. The family invites you to come by Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home & sign the register or leave a message or memory on the “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.