Ruth Elaine Bowling Earnest

Ruth Elaine Bowling Earnest passed away Thursday, November 28, 2024. She
was born into the loving home of David Atkins Bowling, Father, and Eva Ruth
Blevins Bowling, Mother, on October 8, 1938 in Shady Valley, TN. She attended
Shady Valley School and graduated from Johnson County High School in 1956.
She also graduated from Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC. She then enrolled
in North Carolina Baptist Hospital’s program for Medical Records Administration
and took Anatomy and Physiology classes at Wake Forest University. She then
successfully complied with the requirements of the AHIMA and became a
Registered Health Information Administrator. She worked in local hospitals in
East Tennessee until she retired after 40 years. Those hospitals included
Memorial Hospital, North Side Hospital, Takoma Hospital and Select Specialty
Hospital.
She loved the employees where she worked and had many friends there including
the doctors on Staff who enjoyed nuts and mints when they came to her
Department to complete their medical records. She was a people person who
never met a stranger.
She loved her children and grandchildren dearly and loved spending time with
them when they came to visit as they lived out of town. She was affectionally
known as “Nana” by her grandchildren.
The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Ruth. She loved quiet evenings
on the back deck while reading a favorite book and watching the birds come and
go from her birdfeeders. Ruth enjoyed music and took piano lessons from second
grade through college.
Ruth was a loving, giving and kind lady to her family and others and, above all
else, she loved the Lord. She was an active member of the Central Church of
Christ. She enjoyed taking part in “Monday Night for the Master,” 55 Plus Dinners
and other church activities.
Ruth would light up her world by showing empathy, compassion, love of family,
hard work and a warm smile.
She was a loving Mother of four sons, including identical twins and one “adopted”
daughter.

Ruth was preceded in death by her ex-husband, John Isaac Earnest III, parents
David A. Bowling and Eva Ruth Bowling of Shady Valley, TN.
Survivors include her sons David Alan Earnest of Raleigh, NC, Michael Stuart
Earnest of Nashville, TN, Weston Scott Earnest of Greenville, SC, and Joseph Kent
Earnest of Johnson City, TN. Grandchildren Jonathan Earnest, Avery Earnest and
Eva Earnest of Raleigh, NC, Emily Earnest of Seattle, WA, Benjamin Earnest of
Denver, CO, Kayleigh Annabel Earnest of Greenville, SC and “adopted” daughter
Patricia O’Quinn of Kingsport, TN.
Her boys, grandchildren and “adopted” daughter will always find comfort in her
love. May she rest in peace and attain everlasting love in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Funeral service for Ruth will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at Central Church of Christ in Johnson City, Tennessee.  A graveside service service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Blevins Cemetery in Shady Valley, Tennessee.

Online condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.huxlipfordfh.com

Hux & Lipford Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Earnest Family.