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The Rev. James William Earnest passed away on February 17, 2024 at the age of 101. Rev. Earnest started his ministry at the support and promotion of Dr. H.S. Gessner at Franklin First Baptist in Franklin, OH. First licensed in 1947, he served, pastored, taught and counseled for eight decades in a variety of settings, including the Billy Graham Crusades, World Wide Pictures, interim pastorates, pulpit supply, and Camp Director for Camp Kirkwood in Wilmington, OH. His greatest joy was visitations to uplift and cheer others, leaving them feeling not alone and smiling before the sun set. He last served in this capacity from 2008-2014 as part of the Pastoral Staff at the First Baptist Church of Dayton.
With connections to First Baptist Springfield where he was baptized at a young age, as well as Linden Avenue Baptist, Memorial Baptist, and First Baptist Church of Dayton, many in the Dayton Area Baptist Association and region have been blessed by Jim’s ministry. As his son, Neil, put it, he “leaves a world of friends, colleagues.” Having persevered through many of the world’s woes like the Great Depression, WWII, and civil unrests for race, creeds, faiths, beliefs, social changes, ideological misguidances, we give thanks for the Rev. James W. Earnest, a most honest and faithful servant of God. May he rest in peace.
The Rev. James William Earnest born in Springfield, Ohio on August 10, 1922. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Merde (d. 1958) and Pearle Elizabeth (McKeag-d. 1972), sister, Lois Carson (d. 1988), wife, Glana Naomi (Hammer-d. 2008), daughter, Dorothy Alice (d. 1999), and son, William Paul (d. 2023). He is survived by son, James Neil (Margaret Ann), and son, Timothy Carl (Kim-d. 2023), nine grandchildren, and fourteen great grandchildren.
He was a graduate of Stivers High School, Rio Grande College, Otterbein College (where he met his wife), Wright State University, Sinclair College. He received his ministerial education at Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY and United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH.
He was always a bi-vocational minister, wearing many hats for the Lord throughout the years—airplane mechanic, bus/truck driver, furniture mover, toolmaker, machinist, director, coordinator with Model Cities (one of three to rebuild Xenia from 1974 tornado). Serving in the South Pacific in World War II with the Army Air Corp, Jim worked on airplanes and salvage missions, but also sought to share the Gospel with others there as part of the GI Gospel Hour. And back home he worked in the shop at NCR while serving in ministry in various capacities.
Please keep the Earnest family in your prayers.
