Ernestine Carter Ellis

Ernestine, Mama, Granny, Grandma, Sister E, these are a few of the names we use to refer to Ernestine Carter Ellis.  Born November 29, 1919, she was the second of four daughters born to Charles Marshall and Mary Chambers Carter.

The first twenty years of her life were spent in Pittsburgh where, in addition to her education she studied music.  As a teenager and young adult, she played for the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church and shared her musical talents in on numerous musical programs and community events.

After high school Ernestine attended West Virginia State College and in 1944 graduated with a bachelor's degree in Home Economics.  After college she taught in Berryville and Waynesboro, VA where she met and married Leslie Woodrow Ellis.  They settled in Staunton, VA, where they reared three daughters Mary Anne, Marneese and Karen.  Ernestine taught first in the Staunton school district and later transferred to the Augusta County Schools.

For many years, Leslie and Ernestine were members of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church where she served faithfully as choir organist.  In 1965, Leslie and Ernestine joined the Bethel Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Ernestine has consistently served as church organist and pianist.  Additionally, she served and led out in the Sabbath School, Vacation Bible School, and Youth departments and in later years as a Literature Evangelist.

In 1972, after her father passed, she and Leslie relocated from Staunton to Berryville, VA to take care of her mother.  There they began Bible Studies in their home which resulted in the formation of the Berryville Seventh-day Adventist Church, where she served as choir director, youth leader and treasurer.

After the loss of her mother in 1986 and her husband in 1992, Ernestine began streamlining her church responsibilities.  In the late 1990's she joined Serenity Seventh-day Adventist Church in Martinsburg, West Virginia, where she served in the music, financial and community services departments.  In the mid 2000's Ernestine decided it was time to live a more care-free life.  She sold her car and the family home and moved to Texas to live with her daughter, Marneese.

Ernestine has always willingly shared her talent with others. T the age of 89 she joined the YMCA where she consistently worked out 3 days a week.  Words of encouragement, books, piano lessons for neighborhood children, and at age 89 she joined the YMCA where she consistently worked out 3 days a week. She enjoyed hanging out with her family, traveling, attending church and fellowshipping with other members in the church.  Ernestine really believed in living a life that would please God and help others along their way.

She leaves to celebrate her life; 3 daughters, Mary Ann, Marneese, and Karen; several generations of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, and numerous close friends.

She is preceded in death by three sisters; Mary, Lucille, and Bertie.

We will be observing CDC guidelines.  Everyone must have mask and social distancing will be enforced .