Professor James David Earnest (September 25, 1947-June 24, 2023)
James David Earnest died at his home in Murray, Kentucky on June 24th, 2023.
David, as he was known to his friends, was the only child of Roy and LaVonne Earnest and was born in Kingsville, Texas, on September 25, 1947. He attended Kingsville High School and The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a student in the Plan II Honors Program. He majored in English and Spanish. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1968 and spent the year in Madrid, making lifelong friends there and falling in love with Spain. His postgraduate degrees, Master of Arts in English, Master of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature, and Doctor of Philosophy in English Language and Literature, were from Yale University. He came to Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, as an Assistant Professor of English in 1976, and he remained there until his retirement in 2004. During his tenure at MSU, he won the Alumni Association Teaching Award and other teaching honors. He was a specialist in English prose of the Victorian Era and will be remembered among the scholarly community for his definitive edition of the Oxford Sermons of John Henry Newman, published by Oxford University Press and coedited by Gerard Tracey. Among those lucky enough to know him, he will be remembered as a convivial host and guest, who loved to travel the world and had friends in most corners of it. He tirelessly served as guide and teacher to those who came to visit and study in his beloved Spain. He directed study abroad programs in Madrid and Segovia as well as in Regensburg, and he delighted in watching his students’ lives change as a result of their experiences traveling and learning languages.
A memorial service honoring Professor Earnest will be held at St. Leo Catholic Church in Murray at 11am on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
Visitation will be held from 10 am – 11 am at St. Leo Catholic Church.
Please join friends in honoring the life of Professor James David Earnest by visiting www.imesfh.com and posting your tributes and memories.