ERNESTINE WARD HENSLEY

April 3, 1939 - September 24, 2021

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Ernestine Virginia Hensley passed away peacefully on Friday, September 24, 2021 at 4:15am. She fought COVID 19 for 26 days. However, her body was too weak to defeat COVID 19, two bacterial infections, stage four Kidney failure and heart issues. She was 82 years old. Services will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home in Perry, Georgia. The Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the Funeral will start at 2:00 p.m. Entombment will be in the Ascension Mausoleum in Perry Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. Flowers will be gratefully accepted or memorial donations may be made in Ernestine’s name to either St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or The American Kidney Foundation, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852 or The American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202. Ernestine was born in Chauncey, Georgia, to the late Hiram Ward and the late Bessie Mae Brown Ward. She grew up in Chauncey, Georgia, before moving to Perry, Georgia, where she resided for more than ten years after which she moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and lived there for fifty years. Ernestine retired from General Electric (Jacksonville, FL) in March of 2018. She manufactured and repaired aircraft parts for General Electric. She was very proud of her work at General Electric and won many service quality awards for her high volume and quality work. She loved her family and friends and always did everything she could to help the people she loved. Ernestine had a special place in her heart for and was very supportive of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She loved God and was a member of Cedar Creek Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Ernestine was preceded in death by her parents, and nine brothers and sisters. Left to cherish the memories they made with Ernestine are her children, Jim Williams of Port Richey, Florida, and Jamie Visnic of Jacksonville, Florida; her grandchildren, Jonathon Klepatzki, David Williams, Jenny Klepatzki, Nick Williams; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and friends. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.