Mr. Dwight D. Earnest Obituary (1943 - 2016)

Dwight D. "Ernie" Earnest, 73, of Pottsville passed away Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. The son of Daniel P. and Bannie (Wolfe) Earnest, he was born April 10, 1943 in Tazewell County, VA. He married Nora Ringer on May 25, 1963 at Little Rock. He was a United States Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War. During the war he served as a KC135 Boom operator tasked with refueling other planes in flight. Before retiring from the Air Force after 22 years, he obtained the rank of Senior Master 1st SGT and was highly decorated. After retiring from the military he joined law enforcement and served for 8 years as the London Police chief. He was also a Lieutenant with Arkansas Tech University Police Force. During his later years he worked as bailiff for the Pope County Court System. He served a total of 28 years in law enforcement. He was a Past Department Commander of the American Legion from 2008 - 2009, a member of the VFW Rogers Rye-Post #2283 and member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was also a member of the Crow Mountain Baptist Church. He enjoyed guns, NASCAR, the Dallas Cowboys, working on cars and being outdoors. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Daniel Prior Earnest III and Dwight Douglas Counts "Doug" Earnest II; six brothers, Daniel P. Earnest Jr., Arman S. Earnest Sr., Sanford B. Earnest Sr., Carroll G Earnest Sr., Bobby J. Earnest and Arlie Ray Earnest; two sisters, Kathleen Brewster and Wenona Sauerzoff. Survivors include his wife, Nora Louise Ringer Earnest of Pottsville; one son, Donald Paul Earnest of Scottsville; two brothers, John D. Earnest of Clarksville, TN and Charles E. Earnest of Tazewell, VA; two sisters, Joleen Weigand of Elkin, NC and Judith Smith of Lutz, FL. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Jason Earnest and wife Kayla of Dardanelle, Daniel Earnest of Pottsville, Don Earnest Jr. of Scottsville, Kenny Patterson and wife Misty of Charleston, VA and Jennifer Jones and husband Corey of Russellville; 10 great-grandchildren; and extended family. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00AM, Saturday, June 25, 2016 at the Crow Mountain Baptist Church. Rev Howard Kisor Jr. and Rev Don Rose will officiate. Burial will be at Ringer Cemetery in Centerville by Humphrey Funeral Service. Full military honors will be provided. Visitation will be from 6-8PM, on Friday, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Gideons International at www.gideons.org. Internet obituary and on-line guest book are available at www.humphreyfuneral.com. Please click here to view the video tribute