EARNESTINE J. EUTSEY, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS "TANZIE" OR "JEAN" WAS BORN ON APRIL 8, 1953, IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. SHE TRANSITIONED TO ETERNAL REST ON JULY 22, 2024. EARNESTINE ATTENDED McKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL AND OBTAINED DEGREES AND CERTIFICATIONS FROM STARK STATE COLLEGE, GERBER BEAUTY SCHOOL, AND REAL ESTATE SCHOOL LATER BECOMING A HOUSING MANAGER AND MULTI-PROPERTY OWNER. SHE WAS QUITE THE BUSINESS WOMAN, ALWAYS SEEKING NEW ENDEAVORS. DURING THIS TIME, SHE MET AND MARRIED BEN, WHOM SHE BUILT A LIFE WITH FOR 24 YEARS. THEIR BLENDED FAMILY WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY, AS TANZIE'S DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN. SHE FOUND HER TRUE PASSION AND PURPOSE IN LIFE BY CARING FOR OTHERS. TANZIE PUT HER HEART AND SOUL INTO TAKING CARE OF HER FAMILY, OFTENTIMES TAKING IN LOVED ONES IN TIMES OF NEED. SHE WOULD PROVIDE SHELTER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, AND SHE WAS A FOSTER PARENT TO NUMEROUS CHILDREN BY WAY OF THE SAFY ORGANIZATION FOR MANY YEARS. TANZIE WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF EASTERN STAR: DAUGHTERS OF ELECTRA CHAPTER. SHE EVEN HAD POLITICAL INTEREST AND WAS PROACTIVE IN THE NORTH EAST WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, LOBBYING FOR CHANGE IN WASHINGTON WITH HER BELOVED HUSBAND, BEN. SHE HAD A PLAYFUL SIDE AND LOVED TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES. ARTS & CRAFTS WERE ALSO HER HOBBY AS SHE ENJOYED ANTIQUES AND TAKING THINGS FROM SHABBY TO CHIC. TANZIE LOVED THE LORD AND WAS ORDAINED INTO MINISTRY UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE LATE PASTOR GEORGE DUNWOODY, JR. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF ST. MARK BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE SHE ATTENDED UNTIL MOVING TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN 2020. NO MATTER WHERE SHE WAS, SHE TOOK THE LORD WITH HER. EARNESTINE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY (HUSBAND) ARBENNIE "BEN" EUTSEY, SR.; (MOTHER) JANNIE R. WINGO; (DAUGHTER) PRECIOUS EUTSEY; (BROTHER) MICHAEL VAUGHNS; (GREAT-GRANDSON) ZAINE NORRIS-KELLY; AND (SON-IN-LAW) MICHAEL WILCOX. LEFT TO CHERISH HER BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES ARE: (SISTERS) DIANA SMALLS, BARBARA JAMES (MICHAEL BLASINGAME), TAMMY COLEMAN, AND BONUS-SISTER MARILYN JOHNSON; (BROTHERS) FRANK VAUGHNS, AND MERCURE VAUGHNS; (SONS) KEM HAMPTON, BENJAMIN (DEUNKA) HAMPTON, ELLIOT EUTSEY, ARBENNIE EUTSEY, JR.; (DAUGHTERS) VIVIAN (JACK) MAYLE, VONNAMETRICA EUTSEY (MYCH RAGLAND), TIZA EUTSEY, ALTA EUTSEY-WILCOX, AND PATRICIA LILLY; 33 GRANDCHILDREN; 16 GREATGRANDCHILDREN, AND A HOST OF AUNTS, UNCLES, A NIECE, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, AND FRIENDS. A SENTIMENT OF LOVE IS EXTENDED TO HER GRANDSON, DARRIUS "HAMP" HAMPTON, WHOM TANZIE ENTRUSTED HER CARE TO; AND JAEVION RAGLAND, FOR HIS CARE, AS WELL. SHE LOVED ON ALL OF HER FAMILY, AS SHE WAS THE JOY, THE BOSS, THE HOMECOOKED MEALS, THE JOKES, THE SARCASM, THE FASHION, THE LIGHT, AND THE "QUEEN DIVA" OF THE EUTSEY FAMILY. MAMA JEAN WAS BLESSED WITH NURTURING HANDS THAT REACHED PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND SHE HAD A MIGHTY HEART THAT OVERFLOWED WITH LOVE THAT SHE POURED INTO EVERYONE NEAR AND FAR.

SHE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED BY ALL THOSE THAT KNEW AND LOVED HER.