Ernestine Sing-Walden was born on April 13, 1953, in Greenville, Mississippi to Mary Esther and Levi Sing. Upon the sudden passing of her mother in 1964, at 10 years old Ernestine and her younger siblings moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where their loving great aunt, Mattie Howard, reared them to adulthood.  As the 2^nd oldest daughter of 10 children, at an early age, Ernestine began her lifelong purpose of service to others. Ernestine spent her formative years in the Lawrenceville neighborhood where she enjoyed music, dancing, and fashion. Even as a child Ernestine knew and loved the Lord, and was baptized at her childhood church, Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.  She was a proud and popular graduate of Schenley High School. After graduation, she pursued welding, worked at Macy’s Department Store in downtown Pittsburgh, and even became a licensed cosmetologist.  In her younger years, she worked alongside one of her mother’s brothers, “Uncle Clay” helping at his bar.  Ernestine grew to love hosting and entertaining others, a passion she continued to cultivate throughout her life.  While advancing her passions, she always kept family as her core focus. Her love for family was apparent at her 70^th Birthday Soiree where members from many generations gathered to honor her milestone and memories within everyone’s heart.

At the tender of 22, Ernestine gave birth to her first child shared with her first love, Alvis “Chuckie” Griffin (deceased).  She and her young daughter, Kesha Leneé, could be seen around town, decked to the nines in matching, head-to-toe outfits. Though the relationship ended, Ernestine and Chuckie remained in one another’s heart, and when he was in his final days, Chuckie reached out to Ernestine to say his final farewell.  Ernestine was a woman of strong character and knew how to hold her own. Yet, in 1981, she met and married her forever love, John Joseph Walden (deceased), a man whom she truly adored and trusted. Months later, the pair moved from Pennsylvania to Warrensville Heights, Ohio where they soon welcomed a new addition to their family—a beautiful greenish-gray eyed baby girl, Lisa Letai, whom Ernestine cared for as a stay-at-home mother for many years. Ernestine and John were married for over 25 years before divorcing but were always quite inseparable. Anyone who witnessed the pair would get a kick out of their playful interactions. Years later, Ernestine and John became roommates, and fussed at one another as if they were still married. When John became ill and transitioned to assisted care, Ernestine went to care for him, often on a daily basis. She fussed at the staff for their oversights, and always reminded them that he had family who cared.

While living in “Shaker Park Garden Estates” Ernestine formed lifetime friendships with a village of women who became more like family. Among the women, Ms. Gloria Maddox became a surrogate mother, and sister-friend. The two often cared for children in their respective homes, and in April of 1991, Ms. Gloria received a beautiful baby girl awaiting a home until her parents stabilized. Kelly “Girly” Maddox became a permanent member of the family when Ms. Gloria adopted her and named Ernestine and John as alternative caregivers.  Ernestine doted over her bonus daughter immensely and delighted in dressing Kelly for beauty pageants and modeling jobs.  Long before she had grandchildren, Kelly named her, “Nana”— an endearing title her grandchildren still use today.

Ernestine had the gift of making friends with anyone, and even when her family notified people of her transition, so many were sheerly devastated, but all said, “That was my girl.”  Ernestine was an empathetic listener, and possessed an uncanny ability to make others feel seen. She delighted in friendship and maintained relationships with people from all parts of her well-lived life. She was a mother to the motherless, and a confidant to many. Outside of her family, Ernestine loved fellowshipping with “The Saints” as she called members of St. Timothy Missionary Baptist Church.  In the 1990’s, Ernestine renewed her faith and became an active member of the church where she leaves behind many cherished and dear friends. As mentioned, Ernestine lost her mother when she was very young, but had many church mothers that she cared for throughout the years. She was a proud member of the Usher Board and prepared meals for the homeless and church events over the years as well. At St. Timothy, as elderly members struggled to articulate her name, and probably due to her adoration of the late, great rock legend, Tina Turner, Ernestine took on the name, “Tina.”

Of all her life’s work, being a mother and grandmother were her greatest accomplishments. Ernestine shared a unique and personal bond with each of “her girls” as she called her daughters and was especially close to her grandchildren. Though years apart in age, Ernestine spent days shopping and laughing on the phone with her eldest granddaughter, Lauryn Taylor, and she rose faithfully each day, and was eagerly greeted by her loving grandson, Edward, and granddaughter Isla Paisley. Just days before she went to be with the Lord, on Resurrection Sunday, she and her younger grandchildren went to visit her bonus mothers, “Ma Mattie” and “Mama Dozier.” She was extremely close to her siblings, nephews, nieces, and shared unforgettable bonds with all her beloved. She was quick to forgive, and even faster to recognize her own error to make amends with anyone.

Ernestine was a woman of extraordinary style and grace. From a young girl, Ernestine loved clothing, and boasted that she inherited her style from her mother, “Ma Dear”, who she described as, “always sharp.”  Ernestine was at the height of the latest fashion trends, and would consult her fashionistas, youngest sister Debra and granddaughter Lauryn, for fashion advice. Even in her later years, she spent her weekends in elegant outfits, dancing the night away with her dear friend and companion, Ronald Dozier. Anyone who knew Ernestine knew that next to fashion, she loved planning exquisite events, like themed parties and fashion shows, where she decorated decadently and made gourmet meals. For many years, she was a party planner where she helped give brides the day of their dreams, often paying for things herself just to make sure the day was beyond expectation. Ernestine also loved Christmas-time and hosted elegant parties for family and friends where all were outdone at just how fabulous things were. She never allowed sadness to set in, and instead uplifted everyone she touched. She was a devoted daughter, empathetic sibling, nurturing mother, tenacious aunt and family friend, and a hands-on, doting grandmother. She would boast to anyone just how proud she was of her girls, and would always let you know she had an accountant, nurse, social worker, and attorney within her beloved tribe.

To know Ernestine was to love her, and to love her meant being drawn closer to God, for above all, Ernestine was fearless and intentional in her pursuit of a personal relationship with the Lord! She always reminded her loved ones that when God called her home, she would joyfully reach for His hand and enter the Kingdom of Heaven to join family, friends, and Saints who had gone before her. On Tuesday, April 2^nd Ernestine went to sleep peacefully, and when He called, she grabbed God’s hand and entered the Kingdom where she will rest in eternal victory! Ernestine “Tina” Sing-Walden lived a life filled with love and faithfulness to God and others, and she will remain in our hearts forevermore.

Ernestine was preceded in death by her parents, Levi and Mary Esther Sing her great aunt, Mattie Howard, her aunt, Margaret Clay, uncles, Cleveland Clay Jr., Alvester Clay, and Sylvester Clay, sister, Patricia Sing, and brothers, Eddie Lee Sing, Samuel Sing, and Oscar Sing.

She leaves to cherish her memory and legacy, her daughters, Kesha Sing (Phillip), Lisa Henry and son-in-law Marcus Henry whom she shared a natural motherly bond with, and Kelly Maddox, her grandchildren, Lauryn Taylor Robinson, Kennedy Smith, Kenzley Smith, Edward E. Henry IV., and Isla Paisley Henry, one Uncle, J.W. Clay, siblings, Laverne Sing, Margaret Berger (Carl, deceased), Gwendolyn Tucker (Robert), Calvin Sing (Faith), Debra Ausbon (Rick, divorced), Samuel Howard (Paula), and Vera Jean Garmon (Rev.  Dr.  James Earl Garmon Sr., deceased), nephews Lawrence Sing (Kelly), Samuel Sing Jr. (Heather), Malcolm Snyder (Darshell), James Earl Garmon Jr. (Meghan), Devin Ausbon, Calvin Sing Jr., and Rocky Sing, nieces, Angela Sing, Remelda Poindexter (Walter, deceased), LaNise Reynolds (Chris), Demetria Sing, Shawna Sing, Kamaria Tucker, and Kayla Ausbon, many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and a host of other relatives, colleagues, and classmates.