Earnestine Essex

Our fierce and sassy matriarch, she filled us with her love and extended love to everyone she’d meet. An exemplary sister, mother, aunt, grandma, and friend. Our southern queen, Earnestine.
Born in Hugo, Oklahoma on May 13, 1931, Earnestine Essex (Tice) and her two brothers (Paul and Don) learned strength, grit, and independence from a young age. Following her dreams of finding a better life, Earnestine left Oklahoma as soon as she graduated high school and moved to Bellingham to join her mother (Pearl Sunde) and family. She was soon introduced to Earl Essex by her beloved step-dad (Selmer Sunde) and knew she would marry him the moment they met.
Earl and Earnestine (triple E) tackled adversity together and created a beautiful life and family built on love, loyalty, and the endless pursuit of dreams. Earnestine worked as a telephone operator, a job she was proud of, while Earl worked in construction and commercial fishing. Her focus shifted to homemaker and doting mother, with the additions of a daughter (Sandy) and son (Eddie). As their two children grew, so did their ambition to embark on an entrepreneurial journey, and the joint venture of Eldred and Essex Construction with dear friends. Earnestine’s greatest gifts came with four grandchildren (Amber, Tyler, Danielle, and Casey), whom she showered with adoration and love.
Winters were spent soaking up the sun in Kauai and Arizona, with summer and fall months spent outdoors camping, fishing, creating lasting annual traditions, and making memories with family and friends. With her signature French nails and pink lipstick, Earnestine was a true backwoods barbie, always effortlessly chic with salt of the earth effervescence and comfortable style. She had a natural green thumb, growing the most fragrant roses, and a passion for pie, which she was known to make the best.
After sharing over 58 years together, Earnestine lost the love of her life and a piece of her heart with the passing of Earl in 2008. She focused her remaining years adoring her precious great-grandchildren (Sierra and Sydney) and being everyone’s biggest cheerleader.
In the comfort of her home and surrounded by her family, Earnestine crossed the rainbow to achieve her final dream of reuniting with Earl to spend eternity together in the stars.
Earnestine will forever be missed and her memory forever live on in our hearts and this life by daughter Sandy Goforth, son Ed (Laurie) Essex, granddaughters Amber (Chris) Noskoff and Danielle (Zach) Harris, grandsons Tyler and Casey Essex, great-granddaughters Sierra and Sydney Noskoff, brother Don (Judy) Tice, sister Shirley (Jan) Gregory, niece Cathy (Andy) Garcia, and special friends Bob and Carol Briscoe. To honor her wishes, there will be no formal memorial. Please join us to celebrate her life in your hearts and thoughts.
Shine on, sweet grandma, you are loved endlessly (5/13/1931 - 9/18/2023).