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Ernest George Menslage, 65, at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dec. 4, 2011, after a short illness. He was the beloved husband of A. Elizabeth (Rettig) Menslage, "Beth" or "Babe" of Plymouth to whom he was married for over 34 years. Father of Christopher and his wife Kimberly of Sandwich and Mark of CA. Brother of Robert of Rockland, Ronald of Lowell, his twin sister Elsie Palmer of TX, and the late William and Richard. He also leaves his mother-in-law Pat Fama of Plymouth. His other in-laws Sharon Day of Bourne, Patricia and Edward Hegerich, Caryl and Wayne Cristani, Teresa and Don DeCost all of Plymouth and Joy and James Ruggeri of Waltham, and many nieces and nephews. Ernie was born in Boston, grew up in North Quincy and graduated from North Quincy High School. Ernie held several positions over his 29 years at Boston Edition finishing his career as a welding supervisor. Ernie was a member of the John Alden Sportsmen's Club and the Plymouth Moose Lodge. He loved to travel and go camping with his wife Beth. He was a sports fan and enjoyed fishing and playing golf. He was a talented woodworker and artist. He painted a sports mural in his basement of different Boston sports legends.
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Alfred F. Johnson
Sure I knew Ernie Menslage since he (and his sister Elsie, our Senior Class Secretary) lived down the end of our street, Walnut Street, near the Duggan Brothers Garage (the dealership no longer there although the building is) heading toward the Neponset River. Five class members lived on Walnut Street (should have been six but my brother, Preston, dropped out in the 10th grade) Ernie, Elsie, “Mo,” Fontaine, Kathy Baldwin and me. I don’t know about the others but Ernie and I were sometimes friends (although he was closer to my brother before he dropped out) and we would hang out down the corner.
Ernie was a “wild boy,” something out of a movie, an easy rider. He had a motorcycle and would be seen around town riding it. Bill Cadger, the great cross-country and track man from our class, told me when I was in touch with him a few years ago that he and Ernie used to sneak out the back door of school on Hunt Street and cruise down Wollaston Boulevard (I know, I know, Quincy Shore Drive). I can tell this story now because I believe the statute of limitations has expired on that cutting school “crime.” Ernie also had a 1952 Chevy that he purchased with my brother that he was always working on. So yeah, he was the classic 1960s guy. Oh yeah, the reason for the car- ah, to attract girls. Could that be true? And there I was reading all the time thinking that was the way to do it.
Here is a never before told story though. Ernie was the guy who introduced me to the coffeehouse scene, you know the folk music scene that was at its height then, over on Joy Street in Boston. But, more importantly, he provided me that night with one of the very few dates that I had in high school (of course now I know why, why I messed up reading those foolish books). Yah, RIP, Ernie, RIP brother.