Charles Ernest "Ernie" Cawthorne Jr., 72, of Butler died at 10:45 a.m. Saturday in the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Born April 28, 1938, in Butler, he was the son of the late Charles Ernest Cawthorne and Alberta Yohe Cawthorne.

Mr. Cawthorne was a member of Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church in Butler.

He was an automotive technician, who had worked at Butler County Motors and Mikan Motors, retiring in 1971. He also was a self-employed orchard farmer.

Mr. Cawthorne was in the U.S. Air Force, where he was an airman first class, and he served in the continental United States and Zaragoza, Spain.

He enjoyed doing antique auto repair, gardening, hunting and fishing.

Mr. Cawthorne is survived by his wife, C. Deanna Cawthorne, who he married Sept. 7, 1962; one daughter, Kelley and her husband, Scott, Shreffler of Falls Church, Va.; two grandchildren, Micah Allen Shreffler and Catharine Rowyn Shreffler of Falls Church, Va.; one brother, Russell Cawthorne of Butler; one sister, Joanne Fejko of Butler; nine nieces; and two nephews.

Mr. Cawthorne was preceded in death by two infant sons and one daughter, Catharine Kristen Cawthorne.

<B>CAWTHORNE</B> — Friends of Charles Ernest "Ernie" Cawthorne Jr., who died Saturday, May 22, 2010, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the <B>Thompson-Miller Funeral Home</B>, 124 E. North St., Butler. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Merry H. Meloy of Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment will follow in the Mount Chestnut Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.Officers and members of the American Legion Post 778 and the VFW Post 49 will conduct a graveside military service at Mount Chestnut Cemetery.Information and a private guest book are available at www.thompson-miller.com.