Edward Ernsberger, 65, A lifelong resident of Shelby, Ohio died on 10/21/22 after a brief illness. His wife Jane, for the past 40 years, was by his side.He attended the Richland County Sheriff’s Office Police Academy and upon graduation was sworn in as a deputy sheriff in Richland County. It was while working undercover on March 27, 1981, he came to the Willard Police Department and met dispatcher and reserve officer Jane Fitzwater who he married on March 27, 1982. Assigned to the Shiloh area as a resident deputy, Ed would become a K9 Specialist and would be partnered with Bear, a 145-pound rottweiler. On April 13, 1984, Ed and Bear were dispatched to a call of a suspicious person in the Shiloh area. They met up with an escaped prisoner from the Ohio State Reformatory. During a life and death struggle, Ed was shot three times by the escapee. Bear was shot three times in her chest, taking bullets that would have struck Ed in the face. The courage shown by both Ed and Bear that night resulted in Ed being awarded the medal of Valor from the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association. Bear is on the Ohio Police K9 Memorial. The traumatic events from that night caused Ed to suffer from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and he was forced to give up the career he loved. Bear survived her wounds and returned to duty with Ed. The courage they both showed that night is now used as training for officers across the state. Ed worked at several jobs over the years including car sales, auto parts and manufacturing. He was employed by Aramark and worked at the Richland Correctional Institution until his death. Ed was cremated. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations to be made to the K9 Bear Memorial Fund. The donations will be given to area de K9 programs, which are not funded by an entity but rely on donations to survive. Donations can be left at any Civista Bank in K9 Bear’s name or left at the Barkdull Funeral Home at the time of services.
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