Earnest Earl Cosby

November 12, 1930 through June 5, 2016 (age 85) Born to Sue Scott Cosby and Equart Earl “Doc” Cosby on November 12, 1930, Earnest Earl Cosby started his life in Charleston, MS. Earnest left Clarksdale High School to join the U.S. Navy as soon as he was of age and served on the USS Curtiss as a signalman on the bridge during the Korean War. After four years with the Navy, Earnest returned to Mississippi and played football for Mississippi State University. Earnest graduated MSU with an accounting degree and immediately began work with Arthur Andersen & Co. Earnest married Mary Carol Clark on December 15, 1956 and was happily married until her death in August of 2015. Earnest and Carol had three children, Catherine Isabel, Richard Scott, and John Kenneth Cosby. Among Earnest’s responsibilities with Arthur Andersen was to travel the world – opening and managing offices on three different continents. This provided very interesting life experiences for him and his family living in such places as Cali and Bogota, Colombia and Madrid, Spain. After 32 years, Earnest retired from Arthur Andersen as a Senior Managing Partner and went into private consulting for Bill Walker Industries. Along the way, Earnest served and helped a tremendous amount of organizations, charities, and individuals. Earnest was active in youth sports and was a huge Mississippi State Bulldog supporter. He was a lifetime supporter of Episcopal Charities of Cali, Colombia and Children’s Home Society of California. He was also very active with the Boy Scouts of America, Broadmoor Baptist Church of Jackson, MS and First Baptist Church of Newnan. He was active in Kiwanis and SummerGrove HOA. Earnest was preceded in death by his sister, Jo Cosby; his nephew, Thomas Johnson; and his wife, Carol Cosby. He is survived by his sister, Elsie Johnson of Temple, TX; one daughter, Catherine Cosby of Grants Pass, OR; and two sons, Scott Cosby of Newnan, GA and John Cosby of Mountain Home, AR. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Delroy Johnson of Temple, TX; one daughter-in-law, Patricia “Patti” Bolen Cosby of Newnan, GA; and was blessed just before death with a second daughter-in-law, Virginia “Ginny” Fast Horst Cosby of Mountain Home, AR. Earnest was the proud grandfather of two grandkids, Austin and Madison Cosby of Newnan, GA. Earnest Cosby passed away on Sunday, June 5, 2016, resting peacefully at his SummerGrove home. A joint Memorial Service will be conducted at First Baptist Church of Newnan at a much later date with final interment of both Carol and Earnest Cosby in the family plot in Forney, TX. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that memorial gifts be made in Earnest’s memory to Mississippi State at MSU Foundation, P.O. Box 6149, Mississippi State, MS 39762 Phone: 662.325.8918 Fax: 662.325.8426 E-mail:ldurr@advservices.msstate.edu

Earnest Earl Cosby

November 12, 1930 - June 5, 2016