Earnest
Earnest Von Harten,
d. May 16, 2013
BEAUFORT - Earnest Carl F. "Skip" Von Harten. Jr., 82, of Beaufort, South Carolina passed peacefully on January 18, 2014 at MUSC, Charleston, following a brief illness. Born on February 27, 1931, Skip was the only child of Earnest Carl F. Von Harten, Sr. and his wife Mary Adams Von Harten, both deceased and also from Beaufort.
A local icon, Skipper's heart and soul were in his beloved hometown. His family played major roles in Beaufort's landscape over many generations as machinists, ship-builders, captains and car dealers, where Skip found his niche. He took over Von Harten Brothers, the Chrysler, Plymouth dealership from his family on Boundary Street and built a thriving business selling cars on Highway 21. If you are over the age of 50, and lived in Beaufort, you likely bought several cars from him. His salesmanship is legendary and he remains the most prolific car salesman ever seen in these parts. He built an intensely loyal customer base with his gleaming smile, unique humor and uncommon integrity. By the time he retired from O.C. Welch Ford he had too many sales awards to count.
Skipper was an accomplished trick skier, performing in Cypress Gardens, and played a major role in the establishment of The Beaufort Water Festival which began as a ski show. He was a superior outdoorsman famous for prolific catches and fish stories from offshore and inshore adventures.
Skip was a member of The Citadel Class of 1954 and a tenacious supporter of his beloved Bulldogs.
He is survived by Esther Vaccaro Von Harten, his wife of 38 years, his first son, Carl (Rick) Von Harten, III, his wife Barbara and their children Carl Von Harten, IV, Tyler and daughter Haley all of Ft. Myers, FL. Also surviving are Skip's younger son Steve Von Harten, his children Scott and Sarah of Tampa, FL and Skip's daughter, Suzanne Sanders with her husband Dan and their sons Daniel and Will Sanders, all from Greenville.
In addition are Esther's children; Diane Tindell, her husband Dan, herchildren Valarie Cressman, her husband John, and six great-grandchildren Jaiden, Righter, McKenna, Eliana, Bridget and Morgan along withDiane's son Ryan Farrell all of Knoxville, TN.; Esther's other daughter, Eileen Quinlan, her son Joseph McGrath, her daughter Karen Rose with four more great grandchildren; Kody Kavanaugh, Hannah Rose, Abbigayle Rose and Michael Miller of Nashville, TN. And, finally are Esther's son Wayne Quinlan, his wife Barbie and their daughters Amanda and Jordan of Beaufort.
The funeral service for Skip will be held 11 o'clock Tuesday at The Baptist Church of Beaufort. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
At Skip's request, in lieu of flowers donations should be made to the Wounded Warrior Project - Post Office Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66670 or by visiting www.WoundedWarriorProject.org/Donate .
A local icon, Skipper's heart and soul were in his beloved hometown. His family played major roles in Beaufort's landscape over many generations as machinists, ship-builders, captains and car dealers, where Skip found his niche. He took over Von Harten Brothers, the Chrysler, Plymouth dealership from his family on Boundary Street and built a thriving business selling cars on Highway 21. If you are over the age of 50, and lived in Beaufort, you likely bought several cars from him. His salesmanship is legendary and he remains the most prolific car salesman ever seen in these parts. He built an intensely loyal customer base with his gleaming smile, unique humor and uncommon integrity. By the time he retired from O.C. Welch Ford he had too many sales awards to count.
Skipper was an accomplished trick skier, performing in Cypress Gardens, and played a major role in the establishment of The Beaufort Water Festival which began as a ski show. He was a superior outdoorsman famous for prolific catches and fish stories from offshore and inshore adventures.
Skip was a member of The Citadel Class of 1954 and a tenacious supporter of his beloved Bulldogs.
He is survived by Esther Vaccaro Von Harten, his wife of 38 years, his first son, Carl (Rick) Von Harten, III, his wife Barbara and their children Carl Von Harten, IV, Tyler and daughter Haley all of Ft. Myers, FL. Also surviving are Skip's younger son Steve Von Harten, his children Scott and Sarah of Tampa, FL and Skip's daughter, Suzanne Sanders with her husband Dan and their sons Daniel and Will Sanders, all from Greenville.
In addition are Esther's children; Diane Tindell, her husband Dan, herchildren Valarie Cressman, her husband John, and six great-grandchildren Jaiden, Righter, McKenna, Eliana, Bridget and Morgan along withDiane's son Ryan Farrell all of Knoxville, TN.; Esther's other daughter, Eileen Quinlan, her son Joseph McGrath, her daughter Karen Rose with four more great grandchildren; Kody Kavanaugh, Hannah Rose, Abbigayle Rose and Michael Miller of Nashville, TN. And, finally are Esther's son Wayne Quinlan, his wife Barbie and their daughters Amanda and Jordan of Beaufort.
The funeral service for Skip will be held 11 o'clock Tuesday at The Baptist Church of Beaufort. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.
At Skip's request, in lieu of flowers donations should be made to the Wounded Warrior Project - Post Office Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66670 or by visiting www.WoundedWarriorProject.org/Donate .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Earnest Von Harten,, please visit our flower store.
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