Earnest C. Wilson entered into eternal rest on April 23, 2017.

He is survived by his loving wife, Hoy Lee Wilson; his sons, William C. (Denise) Wilson and Mitchell D. Wilson; grandchildren Lacey (Branson) Powers and Ryan (Krissy) Wilson; and his recently born great-grandson, Liam Ross Powers.

He is also survived by one brother, Charles (Pearl) Wilson, and a sister, Barbara (James) Vaughn.

Earnest was born in Philadelphia, Miss., on Sept. 29, 1938. He moved to the New Orleans area in 1964 and settled in LaPlace in 1979. He was a member of Living Way UPC Church for the last 38 years and loved his church family.

Earnest enjoyed fishing and working on small motors and was a hard-working man who enjoyed keeping himself busy. He retired from T. L. James Construction Company as a heavy equipment operator in 2000.

He served in the National Guard for 10 years as a cook.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Earnest Ray and Johnny Paul Wilson; his mother, Lucy Bell (Coats) Wilson; and his siblings, Arthur Jay Wilson, Mary Parker and Sylvia Taylor.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend homegoing services on Thursday, April 27 at Living Way UPC Church, 810 Walnut Drive in LaPlace.

A wake will be held for 10:30 a.m. followed by a service at noon.

Interment will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in St. Rose.

Arrangements are by Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home, 1600 N Causeway Blvd. in Metairie.

Condolences may be expressed at tharpsontheimerfh.com.