A. Earl Priest died peacefully on November 9, 2019, at his residence The Kirby Pines Retirement Community. Earl was born in Dyersburg, Tennessee on April 24, 1922, to Jack and Bessie Taylor Priest. His family moved to Wynne, Arkansas one year later. Earl graduated from Wynne High School and attended Harding University in Searcy Arkansas. Earl married Willene Jones in 1941. Mr. Priest then joined the United States Navy. He traveled the oceans aboard the USS Yosemite (AD-19). They moved to Memphis in 1946 where Earl worked for an advertising agency. Later he served as Chief Financial Officer for St. Francis Hospital in Memphis. He retired there after 11 1/2 years. They moved to Kirby Pines on New Year's Eve of 1996. Earl served as president of the Kirby Pines Advisory Group, a position he volunteered for 10 years. Earl and Willene were long-time members of the Church of Christ at White Station. Earl served as an elder of the church for over 40 years. Willene retired as a staff member at the Church of Christ at White Station. They would continue to do volunteer work at the church every Monday. Earl was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Duane, his wife, Willene and his sister, Helen. He is survived by two nephews, Harry Harrell of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Johnny Coleman of Cabot Arkansas; and four nieces, Brenda Brown, Canada, Treva Westmoreland, Bronson, Florida, Betty Dangea, Wynne Arkansas, Mary Helen Dill, San Raphael California, Pam Crumpton, Heber Springs Arkansas. Visitation will be on Thursday, November 14, 2019 from 1:00 to 2:00 PM with the funeral to begin at 2:00 PM all at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, please make a gift to the Earl and Willene Priest Endowed Scholarship Fund at Harding School of Theology, 1000 Cherry Road, Memphis Tennessee 38117. Memphis Funeral Home
(Published in The Commercial Appeal from Nov. 11 to Nov. 12, 2019)