Leonard Earnest

Leonard J. Earnest, age 84, a resident of Charleston, passed away Wednesday, November 01, 2006 at a local hospital. He was born November 30, 1921 in Bradley County to the late Charlie and Mildred Earnest. He served in World War II as an Air Force fighter airplane mechanic. He was a member of Candies Creek Baptist Church. He was a life long farmer and had been inducted into the Bradley County Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also retired from Hardwick Stove. He was preceded in death by his wives, Kathleen McCurry Earnest and Bunie Watson Earnest; one brother, Marvin "Whitie" Earnest and one sister, Doris Clark. He is survived by one daughter, Carolyn Earnest of Charleston; one son and daughter-in-law, James and Wanda Earnest; grandsons: Brandon Earnest, Bradley and Christie Earnest; one great grandson, Logan Earnest all of Cookeville; one brother, Harold "Red" Earnest of Charleston; one sister, Myrtle Lawson of Huntsville, Alabama; several nieces and nephews also survive. A remembrance of life service will be held on Sunday, November 5, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Pastor Jamie Work officiating. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens with Gale Miller, Larry McNabb, Steve Earnest, Michael Lawson, Jeffrey Lawson, Charlie Wattenbarger and Milton Hooper serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of his Sunday school class. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. His family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.