Ernest “Ernie” Siladi, 90, a resident of Maplewood at Newtown, died peacefully September 3. He was born June 16, 1924, in Stamford, and was the son of Helen Rimany Siladi and Joseph Walter Siladi. Prior to moving to Newtown, he lived in Fishkill, N.Y., and Stamford.

He completed two years of pre-med at the Navy V-12 program at Cornell, before active duty in the Navy as a lookout on the USS Pasadena CL-65, stationed in the Pacific. Discharged from the Navy in 1946, he graduated from Fordham University School of Pharmacy in 1949.

In his younger years he played intramural softball at Fordham and later went on to play soccer with the semipro White Plains club.

Mr Siladi, a registered pharmacist in Connecticut and New York, opened Siladi's Pharmacy, September 1950, at Bull's Head, Stamford, in later followed by a second pharmacy April 1969, also in Stamford, in Grand Central Shopping Center.

He was president of the Southwestern Pharmaceutical Association and officer of the Stamford Exchange Club, and editor for the club’s bulletin. He was a lifetime member and deacon of the First Congregational Church of Stamford and a Mason of Union Lodge #5, since 1951. In 1996,  Mr Siladi was honored by the Stamford Old Timers Club (athletic award).

Among Mr Siladi's many hobbies were gardening, bowling, fishing, cards, coin and stamp collecting, painting, and singing/karaoke. He was fortunate to catch a 150-pound Mako shark and a 9½-foot Sailfish.

Four children, Kevin Siladi of Sandy Hook, Karen Chouinard of Winter Haven, Fla., Kim Siladi of Danbury, and Joseph Siladi of Fishkill, N.Y.; three stepchildren, Elaine Rentz of Vermont, David Kester of Florida, and Lynn Kester, formerly of Stamford; ten grandchildren, John (Kester) Pia, Kate Coley, Andrew Chouinard, Lt J.G. Jonathan Siladi, Kristina Siladi, Adam Siladi, Alex Siladi, Alison Siladi, Michele Siladi, and Jack Dorfsman; and one great-grandchild survive Mr Siladi. His parents, a younger brother, Elmer Paul Siladi, and two wives,Jean Fergusson Ryder and Juanita Marie Sellmeyer Kester, predeceased him.

Calling hours will be from 2 to 5 pm, at Leo P. Gallagher Funeral Home, 2900 Summer Street, Stamford, Sunday, September 7. Private burial at Fairfield Memorial Park Cemetery will be Monday, September 8. A memorial service will be celebrated at the First Congregational Church of Stamford at a later date.