Ernest Edmund Provost

. . Dr. Ernest Edmund Provost (Ernie), 90, passed away peacefully on Friday evening, November 25, 2011, at his son's home in Sylva, NC. A native of Needham, Massachusetts, Ernie was born June 19, 1921, the son of the late Ernest M. Provost and Martha Wilson Provost and was preceded in death by a younger sister, Phyllis Marie Provost. Ernie volunteered and served with the U.S. Marine Corps in the South Pacific for 3 years during WWII in spite of being qualified for a service deferment due to his employment as a machinist at the Springfield, Massachusetts Armory. Dr. Provost, a zoologist, received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and his Master's degree and Ph.D. from Washington State University. Provost worked for the State of Washington as a Game Warden during his enrollment at WSU. He was a faculty member at the University of Georgia for 31 years where he taught in both the Department of Zoology and the School of Forestry, retiring in 1991. Ernie received an award from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for 30 years' service providing instruction to Conservation Rangers through the UGA Center for Continuing Education. He also was the recipient of the first annual (2011) Crockford-Jenkins-Hayes Wildlife Conservation Award from The Georgia Wildlife Society and was a former recipient (late 1960s) of the Outstanding Teaching Award from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at UGA. Ernie was an avid skeet shooter and held numerous national and world championship trophies and awards from his many years participation in the sport. He was also a life member of the Athens Rifle Club in Athens, GA. Dr. Provost was married in 1947 to Marguerite Emily Bareiss. He is survived by two sons, Randall (Randy) Paul Provost, M.D., Sylva, NC, and Wayne Seton Provost, Bishop, GA and 5 grandchildren, Joli Dawn Provost, Arlington, VA, Beverly Roberson-Provost, Ramstein AFB, Germany, Nicholas Ernest Provost, Valerie Michelle Provost and Renee Catherine Provost, Sylva, NC. A memorial will be held in Athens, GA on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Flinchum's Phoenix, University of Georgia Whitehall Forest. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the "E. E. Provost Undergraduate Fisheries and Wildlife Scholarship", c/o Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2152.