Dr. Ernest Howard Jr.

On December 7, 1956, the Lord blessed Ernest, Sr. and Julia with their second child, their first beautiful baby boy.  They named him Ernest, Jr. but his mom affectionately called him “Little Ernest” for his entire life.  Little Ernest was always a calm, meek mannered, and very obedient child.  However, when Julia took him to 1st grade, he held on to her for dear life and wouldn’t let her go.  Since he refused to stay, she took him back home.  She took him back the next day, with the same results.  She took him again the 3rd, 4th, and 5th days and got the same result for the entire first week.  When she explained to him that he needed to stay at school so that he could learn something, he told her that he “was fine, and didn’t want or need to learn anything”.  Ernest, Sr. told Julia to “make” him stay, but she would not, and decided to home school him for the 1st grade.  When she took him again the next year for 2nd grade, he cooperated and attended Mt. Sinai Church School until transferring to Orlando Junior Academy to complete elementary school.  Next, he attended high school at Forest Lake Academy and graduated in 1975. 

 After high school, Ernest, Sr. made it known to all his children, that they had to either go to college or get a job.  Ernest Sr. would not allow any of his children to watch him go to work every day while they sat at home and did nothing.  Not knowing which profession he should pursue, Ernest, Jr. took the advice of his older sister Juliett, and decided to pursue a career in pharmacy.  She told him that it would be a good career for him because it would mentally challenge him, but would not be too physically demanding, which would allow him to play sports, which he loved, after work.  In addition, the career would pay him well. 

 To have the Oakwood experience, even though they didn’t offer his major, Ernest, Jr. briefly attended Oakwood College before transferring to the University of Central Florida where he completed the pre-pharmacy curriculum in March 1978.  He graduated from Florida A & M College of Pharmacy in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy.  He worked as a pharmacist at Lucerne General Hospital for 2 years, from March 1981 to February 1983.  Having decided that he wanted to learn more, he continued his studies in Atlanta at Mercer University School of Pharmacy and graduated with a Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree in 1984.  Ernest, Jr. completed his residency at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama in 1986. Though he started going to a traditional school a year late, once he got going, you couldn’t stop him.  He realized that he really did need to learn something, and spent more than 25 years in school, which would ultimately be more than a third of his life. 

 Ernest, Jr. was humble and never wanted to be called “Dr.”, but his family was very proud of his hard work and accomplishments.  After receiving his Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree in Georgia, completing his residency in Alabama, and getting married in Michigan, Ernest, Jr. returned to Orlando and started working as a pharmacist at Florida Hospital Orlando on November 24, 1986.  He worked there for 10 years before transferring to Florida Hospital Altamonte on November 10, 1996 where he worked as a pharmacist there for another 26 years.  His career as a pharmacist spanned a total of 38 years, working 2 years at Lucerne General Hospital and 36 years at AdventHealth.   He had been contemplating retirement for a while, and mentioned possibly retiring within a month at the end of 2022, or at least reducing to part time hours.  After working faithfully for so many years, he was really looking forward to enjoying his well deserved upcoming retirement. 

 Ernest, Jr. married Jacquelyn Parks, the love of his life on June 8, 1986 in Pontiac, Michigan.  They celebrated 36 years of marriage together until her death earlier this year on July 4th.  After her health began to decline in May 2017, he became her devoted caregiver, doing whatever he could to make her comfortable and happy.  Their love of singing together took them all over the country.  They sang in several church choirs and small groups including David Rugless and Revelation, Persuasion, Remnant, Sounds of Distinction, and The Grace Singers to name a few.  In addition to singing in groups, they performed many duets at churches, weddings, and other special occasions.  In his youth, he sang in Tommy Johnson’s male group.  He was one of the founding members of a singing group called the “Spirit of Peace”.  His tenor voice was well appreciated and received many standing ovations.  

 Recently, Ernest, Jr. sang in the Mt. Sinai Male Chorus and sang the solo for “Grace and Mercy”, his last solo.  On November 19, his last day of life, during the Thanksgiving Service, he sang in the choir at the Mt. Sinai SDA Church, which brought him so much joy.  Over the years at Mt. Sinai SDA Church, he served as an Elder, a Technology member operating the sound board, and a Health Ministries member.  As an elder, he would visit any known church member or friend who was admitted into the AdventHealth Altamonte hospital.  Way back in the day, he played on the Mt. Sinai Wildcats basketball team.  Almost every Saturday night at that time, while travelling from city to city to play against different churches in the conference, Ernest, Jr. could be seen on the court playing as a shooting guard.  He wore goggles, which weren’t very popular at that time, resembling Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.   And in other celebrity news… he was always told that he looked like Lionel Richie, even being mistaken to be Lionel while at a restaurant.  None of that phased him at all.

 Ernest, Jr. was always a team player, someone you definitely wanted on your side.  He always wanted to help others, never seeking any acknowledgement or anything in return.  He was always willing to roll up his sleeves and pitch in wherever necessary.  Recently, in preparation for his mother’s 91st birthday celebration, Ernest Jr. came the night before the event to help setup tables and chairs and decorate.  He pumped up balloons, bursting a few accidentally, hung decorations, and placed chair covers on hundreds of chairs.  During the event, he helped serve food to the guests and did whatever else was necessary.  After the event was over, he helped take down the decorations and tables, stack up the chairs, and clean up the venue.  He was then found in the kitchen hand washing pots and pans.  He didn’t leave until everything was back in it’s proper place.     

 Ernest, Jr. loved music so very much and always wanted it to sound good.  He purchased his own complete sound system including keyboards, microphones, sound boards, speakers, and everything else necessary to produce his desired sound.  He gladly provided a complimentary sound system to many events using his personal portable sound equipment.  Just like his father, he always wanted to have his own items, not relying on anybody else’s things.  Even as a child, when playing together with his younger brother Christopher, each would have their own separate toys. 

 When Ernest, Jr. was not at work, he enjoyed spending time with Jackie and their many pets including 3 horses, birds, dogs, and a cat, on their 5 acres of land.  They enjoyed travelling on road trips as he had done as a child with his family.  Because he wanted them all to be comfortable, he bought not only a conversion van equipped with a kitchen and bathroom like his father, but purchased many motor homes and RVs also.  In addition to enjoying land, they also enjoyed the high seas going on many cruise vacations.  The longest and most recent cruise was a Transatlantic Cruise departing from Barcelona, Spain with several stops in the Canary Islands, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, stopping in the Bahamas, and arriving back in Florida.   In his youth, his hobbies included playing basketball, tennis, and karate.  Just like his father, he loved and enjoyed working on automobiles, both the mechanics and body repair.  There wasn’t much he couldn’t fix.  If he didn’t know how, he’d find a manual and start reading to learn more.  He enjoyed spending time building things and even constructed a huge barn on their property for the horses.    

 His normal every other Sabbath after church routine was to spend the afternoon and evening with family, either at his mom’s or one of his sister’s homes.   After eating, talking, and socializing with family, Little Ernest would soon be found sleeping on the floor, just as his father was, refusing to rest in a comfortable bed, before traveling back to his home in Eustis.  Sabbath, November 19, was no different.  He attended church, sang in the choir, and then headed to lunch at Juliett’s home.  After visiting with his siblings, Christopher and Juliett, he left Juliett’s home and said that he was heading to a coworker’s retirement party.  While driving home from the party, the fatal automobile accident occurred as his car was struck by a truck that crossed the center line and hit his car head on. Though we don’t understand the “why”, we stand firm in our faith that “God knows best” and “God never makes a mistake”.  We find comfort in knowing that Little Ernest’s last day was spent at church, singing in the choir which he loved to do.  Then he ate and spent time with family, had vesper, and lastly enjoyed a party with coworkers.  

 Little Ernest was deeply concerned about the end of time, and how soon it appeared to be based on all the signs.  He regularly talked about how things would be during the time of trouble, and worried about how difficult it would be to make it through.  He read the “Last Day Events” book several times and discussed it with his mom regularly.  He always wanted to be prepared and ready.  Since he is resting now, he won’t need to worry about that anymore.  His faith was strong in the Lord, acknowledging that only God had brought him through the recent passing of his wife.  He lived a Christian life, with the hope of Jesus’ soon return.  His desire was that everyone accept Christ as their personal Savior and be ready.

 Ernest, Jr. leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Julia Howard; 3 sisters, Juliett Howard Scott (Clarence), Karen Howard Winston (Anthony), Carlotta Howard McKenzie (Stephen); 1 brother, Christopher Howard; 1 brother in love, Dr. Terry Parks; 1 uncle, Edward Sellars, Jr. (Donna); 3 aunts, Nonie Sellars Brown, Harriett Howard, Dr. Precious Sellars Mulhern (John); 3 nephews, Clarence Julian, Karl, and Michael Scott; 2 nieces, Carlette and Stephanie McKenzie, along with a host of other family members and friends.  His wife, Jacquelyn, and father, Ernest Howard, Sr., preceded him in death.  That duo along with him now await the resurrection call of the Master.  Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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