Earnestine Patterson "Baby Ray"

Earnestine Patterson (Baby Ray) passed away Friday, June 30, 2017 at Covenant Healthcare-Cooper. Age 79 years. She was born on February 3, 1938 in Greenville, Mississippi to Susie Mae Lewis and Ed Patterson.

Earnestine moved to Saginaw, Michigan when she was nine years old. She attended Saginaw Public Schools and was a graduate of Saginaw High School, Class of 1956. Earnestine worked at Saginaw Community Hospital for 12 years before becoming an employee of Saginaw Steering Gear and a member of UAW Local 699. She retired after 30 years of loyal service. When Baby Ray wasn’t working for General Motors, she was cooking or working in her yard. She never met a stranger. Earnestine always took the time to enlighten people using her life experiences and “mother wit.”

She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Gary D. Patterson (Caroline Ferrell) and Tony A. Kimble (Sharon Perkins); a special daughter, Edginia Foreman (DeDe), all of Saginaw, Michigan; grandchildren, Gary D. Patterson, Jr., Shannon T. Haliburton and Deondre L. Sykes, all of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Ashley N. Patterson, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Daquavious Martin, Marquavious Martin, Shatona Blackmon and Sharmese Blackmon, all of Grand Rapids, Michigan; a longtime family friend, A.C. Kimble; many other relatives and friends too numerous to name including special friends, Joann Pershay, Sharon Perkins, Bennie Scroggins, Alvira Lee, Bernice Scott, Alma Beatty, Azilee Haywood and Mary Johnson.

Earnestine was preceded in death by her parents, Susie M. Lewis and Ed Patterson; special friends, Latchie Welch, Mary Peoples and Robert L. Bond.

The family appreciates the many kind expressions of love and concern extended to them during this time of bereavement. Our special thanks to Healthsource of Saginaw, Compassionate Care, Covenant Healthcare-Cooper, Grace Hospice and Saginaw Commission on Aging.