Ernie Mieri's life and working career revolved around children -- the children who rode his school bus and the legions of children and great-grandchildren who enjoyed his cooking. "Ernie was a school bus driver for 27 years," said his wife, Vivian Mieri, who, like her husband, drove a school bus. "Ernie liked kids, and they liked him and the way he teased them." Ernest L. Mieri, of Cranberry, died of heart-related problems on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006, at UPMC Passavant, McCandless. He was 73. At home, Mr. Mieri, drawing on his experiences growing up in an Italian-American home, would cook enough meatballs and spaghetti not only for his children and grandchildren but also for anyone who dropped in at dinnertime. "Ernie cooked enough food to last three days," his wife said. "At any one time, we'd have a dozen or two of our children and grandchildren and friends that Ernie invited for a spaghetti dinner," she added. "And when they left, many of them had doggy bags. "On the nights when I cooked for only Ernie and myself, he insisted that I cook additional food to take care of anyone who came to visit. He didn't want anyone who came to our home for any reason to walk away hungry," his wife said. "In fact, he'd tell friends that he met to drop in for dinner." She recalled her husband as being a quiet man who seldom talked about himself, but who enjoyed teasing those around him. "Ernie served in the infantry during the Korean War and was badly wounded," she said. "And although we knew that he had earned a Purple Heart, he refused to talk about his experiences. "All he ever said about the war was that a buddy picked him up after he was shot and carried him to safety." Born and raised in Clairton, Ernest Mieri was one of six children of Achilles and Margaret Vigoletti Mieri, who had emigrated from Italy. As a youngster, Ernest Mieri, while attending a vocational school, would help his father, who worked in construction. Vivian Mieri, whom he married in 1982, recalled how they met. "We both worked for Owens Transportation. My number was 407 and Ernie's was 409. I didn't know that he wanted to meet me until he called and said, '407, would you have coffee with 409?' We were married shortly after." She recalled that after her husband's retirement as a school bus driver, he drove part time for Eckerd Drugs in Cranberry. "Driving was Ernie's life, and he appreciated that he could still drive part time." Mr. Mieri is survived by his wife, Vivian Garver Mieri; daughters, Maryanne Ernst, of Baden, Beaver County, and Gina Mieri, of Brentwood; sons, Ernest Mieri, of Las Vegas, and Joseph Mieri, of Ohio; stepson, Wayne Sauer, of Chippewa, Beaver County; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sisters, Joan Jaskol, of Clairton; Josephine Petrucci; Connie DePaolo, of Pleasant Hills; and Jeanne Castellano, of Shaler. He was preceded in death by a brother, Eugene Mieri. Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the McDonald-Aeberli Funeral Home Inc., 238 Crowe Ave., Mars, Butler County. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Ferdinand Roman Catholic Church, Rochester Road, Cranberry. Burial will be in Allegheny County Memorial Park, McCandless.

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