Funeral services for Edward James Earl, of Brookhaven, are Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at 11 a.m. at Easthaven Baptist Church in Brookhaven with burial at Carver Heights Cemetery. Williams Mortuary in Brookhaven is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, from 1 until 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Family hour will be Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, from 6 until 8 p.m. at China Lee M.B. Church in Silver Creek.

Rev. Earl, 90, died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. He was born Jan. 2, 1929, in Simpson County, to Gothea Earl and Mary Bell Sheppard Earl. He attended China Lee School through the eighth grade. In 1950, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. While in Germany, he finished the ninth grade. In 1952 he returned home from the military and completed his high school education at Alexander High School in Brookhaven.

He graduated from Prentiss Institution with a bachelor of arts degree. He attended Harper Baptist Seminary and received the Busy Pastor certificate in 1973. In 1985, he received the Doctorate of Divinity Degree and became the dean of Harper Baptist Seminary Extension. He preached for 44 years and pastored for 41. He was the pastor of China Lee M.B. Church in Silver Creek for 35 years. He served as the moderator for Lawrence County M.B. Association for many years. He met the love of his life Glossie May in the spring of 1950. They married May 15, 1953, to this union, six children were born and three he reared.

Survivors are his loving and devoted wife of 64 years, Glossie Mae Earl; four sons, Rev. Jerry Earl (Virginia), Rev. Steve Earl (Brenda), both of Brookhaven, James Edward Earl (Loretta), of Hammond, Louisiana, and Bruce Allan Earl (Jennifer), of Springfield, Massachusetts; four daughters, Paula Brunetta Smith, of New Orleans, Louisiana, Dianne Harris (Frank), of Pearl, Gloria Jean Combre (Wallace), of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mae Katherine McDaniel (Bennie), of Byram; one brother, Lester Earl, of Chicago, Illinois; four sisters, Mary Ann Day and Grace Barkum, both of Gulfport, Sallie French, of Flint, Michigan, and Minnie Lee Jackson (Edward), of Detroit, Michigan; 11 granddaughters; nine grandsons; 36 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Jackie Coleman and Edward Jackson; one sister-in-law, Louise Coleman; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and especially the China Lee M.B. Church family.