Ernest Glen "Ernie" Longhurst, 86, of Iona, passed away September 16, 2010, at his home. Ernie was born May 22, 1924, at home in Iona, Idaho, to Benjamin Franklin Longhurst and Mary Ellen Owens Longhurst. He was raised and attended schools in Iona. When he was a high school sophomore, he had to quit school to help on the farm. On Nov. 22, 1943, Ernie married Marian L. Wadsworth in Dillon, Montana. Ernie was deferred from the draft until the crops were harvested and in Nov. 1944, he joined the Navy . He served during World War II on the ship USS Hopewell DD-681 as part of the 7th Fleet of the Navy. He was discharged in March 1946 and returned home to Iona to his wife and daughter, Glenda, and returned to the farm to work. He started working for Railway Express but after a short time he transferred to the Union Pacific Railroad. While working for the railroad, he started buying and trading livestock from Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and Oregon. In 1974, he leased the Union Pacific Railroad stockyards in Idaho Falls and shipped livestock for 10 years until 1984, when he built Ernie's Café in Iona. The café operated for 20 years until it was sold in 2004. It was famous for the prime rib on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as Dutch oven chicken on Thursdays. Ernie loved the 20 years of cooking, meeting new friends, and running the café in his beloved hometown. He was the Chairman of the Iona Centenial Celebration. He loved living in Iona with his whole heart. Ernie loved the outdoors going horse back riding, snowmobiling, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Marian L. Longhurst of Iona; daughters: Glenda R. Hinckley of Idaho Falls, Jeralyn (Gary) Messenger of Coltman, Mariellen (Terry) Drollinger and Coy Lou Stephens both of Iona, and LeAnn Butikofer of Ucon; 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; and brothers: Jay (Marge, deceased) and Bob (Verda) Longhurst of Iona. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Glen Longhurst, a brother: Eldon Longhurst; sisters, Maxine Meadows and Bernice Stosich, and a son-in-law, Karl Butikofer. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 20, 2010, at the Iona LDS Stake Center, corner of Iona Rd and the Ririe Highway, with Bishop Byard Cox officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday, September 19, 2010, from 6-8:00 p.m. at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First St., Idaho Falls, and Monday one hour prior to the services at the church. Burial will be in the Iona Cemetery with military rites by the Bonneville County Veterans Team and the Idaho Honor Guard. The family would like to thank the staff of Aspen Home Health and Hospice and the CNA's of Quali Care for their dedicated and loving care of Ernie. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.coltrinmortuary.com