Mother Ernestine Dowlen

Ernestine’s earthly journey began on a cold winter Wednesday, February 10, 1943 in Cheatham County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of the late Milton Grant Harris and Maggie Bagwell Harris Foston. In addition to her parents, her husband of 42 years, William C. Dowlen; grandchild, Rayquan Hudson; sisters: Martha Green, Vera Turner, Hazel Walker and Ethel Darden; brothers: John Harris, Roy Harris and Willie Harris, grandparents, a host of aunts and uncles and devoted friend, Regina Moody preceded her in death.

 She accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at an early age and was a faithful member of Fifth Ward Missionary Baptist Church. She served as a member of the Mothers Board, the Kitchen/Hospitality Committee and sang in the Adult Choir.

 She was educated in the Cheatham County School System. Throughout her lifetime, she enjoyed employment with and served as the First Black Supervisor at Acme Boot Factory; Food Service Manager at Ft. Campbell, KY; Food Service Worker at Chad Youth Center and the Community Action Agency as a Foster Grandmother, a.k.a. “Granny D” with the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.

 On December 27, 1959, Ernestine united in holy matrimony with William C. Dowlen and they were the proud parents of five daughters.

 Ernestine loved spending time with family and friends. Mother to all, she was known as a “Neighborhood Mom”. She enjoyed watching “Soap Operas” (The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful), playing Bingo, working “Find a Word/Crosspatch Puzzles”, talking to friends and family on the phone, cooking, growing flowers, hosting and attending family gatherings.

 On Thursday, December 26, 2024, Ernestine answered God’s beckoning call to cease from her earthly labors and enter into the Master’s JOY!.

 She leaves precious memories to be cherished by her daughters: Annie Dowlen (Kenneth Lauderdale), Allesia (Ronald) Lyle, Regina (Anthony) Lyle, Minister Deborah (Kenneth, Sr.) Ellis and Kelly Norman; devoted niece, Peggy (Donald) Barker, all of Clarksville, TN; sisters: Florence Starr, Clarksville, TN and Olivia Vanderburg, Chicago, IL; 11 grandchildren: Toyelle Waldon (Treyvon Walker), Dietrich Dowlen, Donte (Natalie) Waldon, Kenneth Ellis, Jr., Kennisha Ellis, Shareece (Franklin) Ayers, Xavier Norman, Kendal Ellis, Anthony (Jennifer Johnson) Lyle, II and Denesha Norman; 27 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; devoted friends: Jean Bowers, Bertha Langley, Geraldine Ramey, Loretta Martin, Chonoliah Teasley, Sadie Hines, Ruth Patterson and a host of other relatives and friends.