Earnestine Deering

October 14, 1933 — October 29, 2024

Service Details

Earnestine Deering, age 91, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Born on October 14, 1933, in Kerr, Arkansas to James and Dorothy (Pickens) Perkins, Earnestine lived a life marked by resilience and dedication to family.

The first in her family, she graduated from the all black Scipio A. Jones High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1952, a milestone that would lead her to new opportunities in Des Moines. After relocating in 1953, she began working and soon married, embracing her role as a mother. On April 11, 1970, she married Andrew Deering, Jr., in Omaha, Nebraska. Together they grew their family and built a life filled with love and a bit of chaos, remaining together for nearly 49 years until his passing.

A high school basketball player, Earnestine’s love for sports continued through her life. She enjoyed watching basketball and football, often following games with the same passion she had as a young athlete. She was also known for her lively phone conversations, sharing stories with family and friends, who will remember her with deep affection.

Earnestine spent her career as a teller, first with Norwest Bank and later with the Postal Credit Union, where her beautiful smile and attention to detail were cherished by colleagues and customers alike. She enjoyed collecting unique currency, which she would challenge her grandchildren with before gifting it to them on their birthdays. She was known to be shrewd with her finances, a skill that allowed for ensuring that her family had everything they needed while ensuring they were dressed in style.

Earnestine was a strict disciplinarian who instilled values of respect and responsibility in her children and grandchildren. She was deeply devoted to her family, balancing her high expectations with a caring heart. In her kitchen, Earnestine’s culinary talent was unmatched. Known for her signature red Kool-Aid, German chocolate cake, banana pudding, sweet potato pie, and macaroni and cheese, she delighted her family with homemade treats that created cherished memories with every bite. Her daughter’s fruit pizza and her granddaughter’s gumbo held special places in her heart, as did her fondness for brown extension cords. All of which remain engrained in the memories of her family. The family stories will go down in history.

Earnestine is survived by her children, Diana Brown (Larry), David Brown (Martha), and Joseph Deering; her grandchildren, Nikki McCain (Bryant), Preston Hunter (Anna), Kellee Smith (Ray), Tara Brown, Victoria Henderson Weber (Jermain), and Jocelyn Simmons (Robert); her brother, Joseph Perkins and her goddaughter Sharon Foster. Her legacy lives on through her great-grandchildren, Jesse McCain, Oliver McCain, Breia McCain, Airryn McCain, Aubrianna McCain, Xavier Hunter, Malayah Brown, Aleeyah Brown, Derrick Bogay Jr., Sariyah Brown, Moriyah Brown, Desmond Brown, Imani Revels, Darrell Revels III, Maya Smith, Langston Henderson Weber, Zora Henderson Weber, Tristian Foster, and Trinity Simmons, along with many other loving family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, her daughters, Anita Brown and Sheila Brown; and her great-grandson, Michael Griffith.

Earnestine will be remembered as a spirited woman with love for her family, dedication to hard-work, and a culinary talent that will leave a legacy of cherished memories and many attempts to duplicate her recipes that will continue to unite those who loved her.

Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., followed by funeral service at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 16, 2024, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines, with burial at Glendale Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the family in loving memory of Earnestine.

Print