Ernestine Patricia Watlington

Ernestine Patricia Watlington, age 70, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and community activist died peacefully in her sleep at Good Samaritan Hospital in Pottsville, PA on Thursday, April 13, 2006. Ernestine was born August 8, 1935, in Rockingham, North Carolina, to the late Lee Ida Percell Motley and William Howard Motley, Sr. She attended school in Reidsville, North Carolina. She moved to Harrisburg, PA in 1950 and in September 1951 she was united in marriage to Oscar Watlington, Sr. In addition to being a devoted mother, for more than three decades, Ernestine dedicated herself to improving the community she lived in. She founded the Edgemont Community Action Center and later became Director of Harrisburg Community and Economic Affairs. She was also a founding board member of the Law Coordination Center and Dauphin County Legal Services, which incorporated as Central Pennsylvania Legal Services; an active member of the South Central Pennsylvania Foundation and the Pennsylvania Low-Income Housing Coalition; and in October 1993 she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Legal Services Board of Directors in recognition of her ability, perseverance, dedication to others, and service on numerous boards. In addition to the many positions that she held, Ernestine's compassion, hard work and commitment to providing housing and legal services to the citizens of this area earned her numerous accolades and awards. Ernestine loved God and was a member of the Pleasant Hills Christian Church. She will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Oscar Watlington, Sr., her sons Oscar Jr. of Beulaville, North Carolina, Anthony and his wife Cindy, Bryant, and Daniel and his wife Connie, her daughter, Donna Watlington, all residing in Harrisburg; 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by one brother, William Howard Motley, Jr., and two sisters, Florence Harris and Helen Motley.