Earnestine Gardner Bozeman Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Services will be Friday, 2 p.m. at Tabernacle M.B. Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from noon until 6 p.m. at Lee-Sykes Funeral Home of Columbus. Earnestine Gardner Bozeman was born on October 9, 1947, in Pickens County, Alabama to the late Joseph and Ella Weas Gardner. She departed this world in October 17, 2019. She was converted at an early age and united with Tabernacle C.M.E. Church. Earnestine loved the Lord and was very devoted to her church. She served many years as president of the stewardess and took care of the needs of her pastor. She was president of the ushers and trained many young people for the usher board. She was also superintendent of the Sunday school and also served as a Sunday school teacher. For many years, she served on the board of Christian Education and represented her church in many district and annual conference meetings. Earnestine played a major role in motivating her nieces and nephews to educate themselves. She graduated from Hopewell High School at the age of 16. She continued her education at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, AL and was the first of her siblings to graduate with a college degree. While at Stillman University, she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She traveled to Endicott, NY after graduation and worked for IBM. She taught in the Chicago City School System before moving back to Alabama. In order to be the very best, she returned to college and excelled at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS where she received her Master’s Degree in Mathematics. She taught a total of 40 years in Mississippi, Alabama, Illinois, and Arkansas. She tried to encourage all young people to do their best and instilled in her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews the importance of a good education. After moving back to Alabama, she married Ralph Bozeman and to this union two children were born. Earnestine was a very loving and devoted mother for her girls. She instilled in them the importance of loving God and getting a good education. She also dedicated a lot of her time, love, and finances to her nieces and nephews and served as a second mom to many of them. Her greatest joy in life was being “Granny” to her granddaughters. In addition to her parents, four brothers: Benjamin, Joe P., Wilker, and Arnie G. Gardner and five sisters: Ardelia Green, Annie W. Guyton, Vergie Thomas, Bertha Gardner and Clemmie Gardner preceded her in death. She leaves to cherish her memory, two daughters, Tameka (Bobby) Lawson and Takeea Bozeman both of Columbus, MS; three granddaughters: Kamryn Bozeman, Dallis Lawson and Brooklyn Lawson; three sisters: Arnell Levy of St. Louis, MO; Dorothy Chaney of Ethelsville, AL, and Mertha (L. Andrew) Gardner of Millport, AL; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Earnestine Gardner Bozeman

October 9, 1947 - October 17, 2019

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