Ernest Vandermark

Ernest Vandermark is a minor supporting character in North Park and father of Lydia and Linus.
== Background ==
Ernest is the husband of Myrtle and the only anchor holding her from having a nervous breakdown. He does his best to manage all the weirdness in his family as he sits in his chair and reads the paper. He can often find himself as the straight man in many bizarre scenarios he stumbles into.
== Appearance ==
Ernest is a tall man with brown hair and a moustache. He usually wears a white collar shirt with a red sweater.
== Personality ==
Ernest comes across as very matter of fact, but takes weirdness in stride. Whether he's on the phone to the principal about his daughter getting in another fight, or trying to read while his son blasts loud music upstairs he'll tell himself "eh, just another day in the Vandermark household". This carries over to how he interacts with others around town as well, they can tell him a weird situation and he'll accept that it's the case and help how he can, which can sometimes lead to him ending up in really weird situations he wonders if he should even be in. He has an aura of authority however, people other than his own children tend to respect him and listen to his advice.
== Family ==
==== Myrtle Vandermark ====
Ernest doesn't have any regrets about his marriage with Myrtle, he doesn't really get why people compare her to her sister and loves his Myrtie all the same. When she's having an episode he tries to be the voice of reason that helps her calm down.
==== Lydia ====
Ernest is concerned about his daughter. She frightens him a little, not because of what she says or does, but because he feels his side of the family may be responsible for her aggressive personality. The Vandermarks have for the most part been calm, rational people going back many generations. But every now and then there is a Vandermark born who goes against all this. This "recessive aggressive" gene apparently traces back to a notorious Dutch Pirate and resurfaces occasionally to fill one of his descendants with a similar sense of anti authority and aggression. Or so Ernest believes. Regardless, Ernest tries to put up with his daughter however he can, making sure she doesn't get too carried away and cause her mother to have an aneurism. He can put his foot down with her when he needs to.
==== Linus ====
Ernest doesn't take his son's aggression nearly as seriously as his daughter, he can tell he is all talk. Ernest will sometimes try to bond with his son, usual stuff like throwing a ball around, going fishing or making little model planes and trains but Linus pushes back against all these attempts. 
== Relationships ==
==== Martin McGarden ====
Martin and Ernest are pretty good friends as their families spend a lot of time together.
== Powers and abilities ==
==== Straight man ====
Ernest is often the "straight man" who has to act as the voice of reason in many situations. He has his own ordinary sense of wisdom to him.
==== Tall ====
He can reach things off of tall shelves or out of high up cupboards. 
== Gallery ==
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Category:Parents
Category:Male Characters