Elsie Mae "Ma" Earnest

Elsie Mae (Ma) Earnest, 76, of Hahira, died on Thursday, January 3, 2013 after a lengthy illness. She was born, and grew up in Miami and later moved with her family to California. While in California, she met and married a family friend, the late Donald Earnest. Mrs. Earnest's husband soon joined the military and moved to locations all over the country and the world. They moved back to this area in 1974 in order to care for family members. Working outside in her yard was a common past time for Mrs. Earnest and she loved going fishing whenever possible. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren and was well know by their friends and all her family as a caretaker affectionately known as "Ma".

Survivors include two sons and daughters in law, Gary & Joan Earnest, and Rob & Tammie Earnest, all of Hahira; two daughters and sons in law, Sherrill & Ken Ellenberg and Linda & Les Bunte, all of Hahira; seven grandchildren, Chris (Cathy) Earnest of Cumming, Scott (Renee) Ellenberg of Moultrie, Cory Bunte of Valdosta, Lindsay Ellenberg of Hahira, Ashley (Brandon) Ammons of Hahira, Jamie Ellenberg of Hahira, and Shannon (Jarvis) Briscoe of Gray. Also surviving is a brother and sister in law, John & Carol Patterson of Tucson, AZ; ten great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald and a son, Thomas Earnest.

A private graveside service will be held for the family at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123-1718 or www.cancer.org. Condolences may be conveyed to the family on the obituary page of www.mclanecares.com Carson McLane Funeral Home/ McLane Crematory


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602