ERNESTINE HOLMES
Ernestine Bynum Holmes, 79, of 615 S. Taylor St., died Wednesday at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
The funeral will be held today at 3 p.m. at St. James A.M.E. Zion Church. The Rev. Daran H. Mitchell will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.
Mrs. Holmes was born June 13, 1924, in Englewood, N.J., to the late William "Buck" Bynum and Mattie Leathers Bynum. She later moved to Durham where she graduated from Hillside High School. She continued her education at North Carolina College for Negroes, later known as North Carolina Central University, earning a bachelor of art's degree in music and physical education. Her career included teaching positions in Goldsboro, Hillsborough, Laurinburg and Kinston, and chairperson of the music department at O'Berry Center. In 1973, she accepted a teaching position at Goldsboro High School and later became the chairperson of the Exceptional Children's Department, serving in that capacity until retirement.
She also served in the music departments at Faith Presbyterian Church, Dudley, and St. James A.M.E. Zion Church and was a deaconess and president of the Floral Club at St. James.
Mrs. Holmes was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, a former board member of WAGES, Past President of the National Association of University Women and Past Region IV Vice President of North Carolina Central University.
She was a charter member of both the Kinston Alumnae Chapter and Goldsboro Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. public organizations and served as president and other capacities for many years.
She is survived by a son, Andrew Holmes Jr. of Jamaican, N.Y.; a daughter, Pia Holmes McKenzie of the home; a granddaughter, Olisa Rose McKenzie, attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; and many special church and community friends, and a host of other relatives and friends.
The family received friends on Saturday night from 7 until 8 at Lightner Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gold/Wayne Chapter of North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, N.C., 27707.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on May 23, 2004 10:50 AM