Coty Lynn Earnest was born in Amory on October 8, 1980 to the late Wayne and Annie Mae Skelton Earnest. Coty departed this life on Feb. 20, 2023. He grew up in Chickasaw County where he found a love for the outdoors and God’s creation at an early age. Coty loved to walk the Chuquanonchee Creek bottoms fishing, hunting and finding solace in the quietness of nature. He grew up attending Van Vleet Baptist Church, graduated from Houlka High School and attended Itawamba Community College. Always a patriotic American, Coty joined the Mississippi National Guard and ultimately served two tours of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He returned from serving his Country severely suffering from PTSD and ultimately became a Disabled American Veteran. He spent the remainder of his days passionate about the plight of veterans, especially homeless vets. He was blessed with his greatest earthly gift, his son, John Riley, whom he highly favored. He loved his family and will be sorely missed by them.
Funeral services remain pending and will be announced by Holland Funeral Directors-Okolona Chapel
Coty is survived by his son, John Riley and his mother, Deana Thompson of Cleveland, Ms; his siblings, Stacy Blissard Hammett of Collierville, Tn., Linda Blissard Jackson of Pontotoc, Tina Earnest Yoder (Sam) of Okolona and Ricky Bilssard (Mikelann) of Okolona; special nieces and nephews, Madison Hammett, Matthew Caples, Britney Jackson, R. J. Dees and John Blissard. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wayne and Annie Mae Earnest.
Memorials may be made to Seven Days for the Troops, c/o Scott Burns, 1020 North Gloster St., Suite 230, Tupelo, MS. 38804.
