Remembering Ernest Kimble: the Burger King legend

By Haley Velasco Assistant Life and Arts Editor

Ernest Kimble woke up around 5 a.m. every morning for over 30 years to walk to his job at Burger King in San Marcos. He was living in a Best Budget Inn and had medical issues such as bad eyesight and knee pain, but he never went to work without determination and a smile.

On Feb. 15, Kimble died at 57 years old.

The cause of Kimble's death is currently unknown. For now and until a vigil can be organized, friends and former co-workers are remembering Kimble and his greatest moments. From cracking jokes to bonding from work gossip, Kimble was always known as the right-hand man at Burger King, even with all of the circumstances that he had encountered with 20-30-minute daily walks to work and 12-14-hour shifts.

"When I first started, Mr. Kimble was quiet and respectful, and he would goof around at times, but he was such a hardworking man," Rae Carroll, Kimble's former Burger King co-worker said. "You know, everyone has a story and I always wanted to know how he ended up in San Marcos, but I never asked because I didn't want to put his head in a space where he didn't want to be. It's like Burger King was his getaway."

In 2018, Kimble was nominated for assistance from Season for Caring, an organization within the Austin-American Statesman that allows readers to give to Central Texans in need. The organization utilizes Central Texas community service organizations to find people to help.

In 2018, Kristina Delgado, San Marcos resident and health specialist for Community Action Inc. of Central Texas, a non-profit organization that provides resources such as health care, education and job training, found out about Kimble and reached out to his managers to see how to help.

Kimble was awarded a year's worth of rent in a new apartment in 2019. At work, he continued to uplift his coworkers.

"He never made you feel uncomfortable, he never made you feel bad and if you were having a bad day, he would do what he could do to make you feel better," Jennifer Ruiz, Kimble's former Burger King co-worker, said.

Kimble instilled golden friendships through laughter. Juan Yanez, another one of Kimble's former co-workers, believes that Kimble's playful personality made it easier for the friendship to form into something special.

"We got so comfortable with each other like it was like I was talking to one of my best friends," Juan said. "The things he does that makes you laugh and the things he says, especially when I brought my wife around, he'd be like, 'oh, that's my girl,' and when he'd see my kids, he'd be like, 'these are my kids.'"

Juan had been working for Burger King for about eight years when he realized that the business did not care for its employees as much as it did the money. Even after more than 30 years of working at the restaurant, Kimble was still making $8.75 an hour.

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