Earnest Russell, Jr. was born June 15, 1952, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas to the late Earnest Russell, Sr. and the late Edna Mays Russell. He departed this life on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
Earnest attended Carver Elementary School, Merrill High School, and graduated from Dollarway High School in 1970. He attended Shelby State Community College, where he received an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Administration.
After graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy, earning the rank of E3. After being honorably discharged, he worked for the United States Postal Service for twenty years. He later started Russell's Lawn Care Service.
On June 3, 1974, he married Perry Dewayne Adams, a marriage of 46 1/2 years. This union produced a son, Earnest Russell, III (who preceded him in death), and a daughter, Tori Yarnell Russell. He professed a hope in Christ and was baptized on July 12, 1981, at the Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee under the pastorate of Reverend Ammon Jordan. He later joined the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.
Earnest was preceded in death by his parents; a son; brother- McElree Russell; two sisters-Doris R. Perry and Carolyn S. Russell; and one brother-in-law-Stanley Gates.
He leaves to cherish his memory his wife-Perry D. Russell of Memphis, Tennessee; one son-James Earnest Johnson of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; one daughter-Tori Yarnell Russell of Memphis, Tennessee; two brothers- Dale (Bernice) Russell of Pine Bluff, Arkansas and James (Marilyn) Russell of Memphis, Tennessee; one sister-Edna (Carl) Lusk of Altheimer, Arkansas; one brother-in-law-Robert L. Perry of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; three sisters-in-law-Brenda (Clinton) Boyd of Park Forrest, Illinois, Carolyn Armstrong of Bloomington, Illinois and Jacqueline (Samuel) Williams of Americus, Georgia; six grandchildren-Shairmaine, Jatoria, Jackie, Janell, Jaisha, and James, Jr.; one great grandsonPrince; three aunts-Armentha Lewis of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Helen Mays of Waco, Texas, and Gussie Russell of Los Angeles, California; three aunts-in-law-Rosetta Clifton of Montgomery, Illinois, Georgia Blackman, and Leatrice Foster both of Osceola, Arkansas; one uncle-in-law-Carl Watkins of Bloomington, Illinois. He leaves three very special friends-Robert and Pauline Anderson and Jackie Holmes all o Memphis, Tennessee; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.
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