Ernest Mims was born on May 3rd, 1944, in Columbia, South Carolina to the late, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Mims. He was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina; where he participated in many activities, football being his favorite. Ernest had a long-time girlfriend, who bore his eldest son, Ernest, Jr. On February 12th, 1962, Ernest married the love of his life, Mattie Ann Griffin. In this union, three beautiful children were born,  creating a family of six. Ernest was a long-time member of The House of The Lord in Akron, Ohio, and served on the finance committee for many years. He was a talented construction worker for numerous years until discovered that he was a culinary genius. It was then, he became an entrepreneur alongside his wife and opened a   restaurant called the Bar-B-Q Haven in Akron, Ohio. For several years, Ernest managed this successful restaurant serving delicious homemade soul food to many customers. Customers would travel from all sides of town just for the home cooking. Ernest was also   innovative; he purchased a food truck and took his business on the road setting up at festivals and sporting events all over northeastern Ohio, his delicious meals were loved by many people all over   Northeast Ohio.

Ernest was a coin collector, lover of antique cars, and country music. He also loved old western movies as well, so much that you could almost guarantee that every time you bumped into Ernest in public, he would be wearing his cowboy boots, which he also had a very impressive collection of. In the early 1980s, along with his wife,  Ernest created the original candy apple recipe. With this amazing  recipe, he and his wife assembled a successful candy apple business selling candy apples all over the Akron area, which earned him the nickname THE CANDYMAN.

He is preceded in death by both his parents and his sister, Betty Jo Wood all of Akron, Ohio.

Surviving immediate family: Sons, Ernest Jr Fain of Las Vegas, Nevada and Michael Ernest Mims of Akron, Ohio; daughters, Marlo Timms and Monique Mims of Akron Ohio; as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host family and friends.