For Ernest Morales, food was as much a passion as a means of caring for others.

He was the proprietor of Ernesto's Mexican Restaurant in Ventura's Montalvo area during the 1960s and '70s. But his love for food endured from the time he learned to cook at his grandmother's knee as a child until he was killed in a train accident Sunday.

"It was through food that Ernie brought the family, neighbors and friends together," said Steven Sawyer, a friend of Morales' grandson, Anthony Morales. "When Ernie decided to head over to Ralphs on Victoria Avenue and buy pork, peppers, etc., word would get out that he was cooking, and people would flock to the house to eat."

Among the Ventura man's culinary specialties were chili verde, chili Colorado, tamales and Mexican rice. At Christmastime, he would make hundreds of tamales and give them away as gifts.

Morales was killed Sunday night when a train hit him while he was walking along a trestle north of the Ventura County Fairgrounds. He was 85.

Morales was blind and partially deaf and walked with two canes. Authorities said the train conductor and engineer told them the train's horn sounded, but Morales didn't react, and the train was unable to stop in time.

More than just a great cook, Ernie Morales is being remembered as a friend. "He was loved by so many," Sawyer said. "He impacted so many Venturans through his kindness and generosity."

Morales was one of 18 children. His parents, who were ranchers in Santa Paula, died when he was 9 or 10, and he lived in an orphanage until the age of 12. After that, he traveled around the state, working a handful of jobs until the age of 17, when he lied about his age to join the Marine Corps and fight in World War II.

Anthony Morales said his grandfather received a Purple Heart after being in an explosion in an amphibious tank. He later worked in civil engineering for 18 years at Naval Base Ventura County.

After retiring, he spent time working on ranches. He briefly owned a trucking company and was a volunteer for the Sheriff's Department in Santa Paula. He served for three years on the Montalvo water board.

Morales and his wife, Porfie, 82, raised five daughters and had 10 grandchildren. They celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in February.

He helped build the Montalvo house where he and his family lived for 54 years, and where he flew the Marine Corps and U.S. flags daily until his death.

Norma Morales described her father as unforgettable. "My daughter said, Grandpa was a man who would have been a celebrity had he wanted to go in that direction. He had charisma.'"

During his years as a restaurateur, he treated disadvantaged children to food and entertainment at Christmas. "It was like an early Toys for Tots," Norma Morales said.

Family always came first for Ernie Morales. "He worked his magic in the kitchen, and family members always found a way back to the house to see what was for dinner," grandson Anthony said.

Sawyer said he will never forget Morales' effect on his life. "I will always consider him to be a patriot, a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, and a true Ventura native."

A rosary will be recited at 5 p.m. Sunday at Joseph P. Reardon Home, 757 E. Main St., Ventura. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 3175 Telegraph Road, Ventura. Burial follows at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery, 380 Cemetery Road.