William Earnest Dossett

William Earnest Dossett was born September 1, 1947 in Muskogee Oklahoma.

He was the youngest child born to Major Alonzo and Idessa Dossett. Earnest

started attending church as an infant and he later accepted Jesus Christ as his savior.

When Earnest was nine years old, his mother became very ill and she was unable

to take care of him. He was brought to live with his mother’s brother, Uncle Lonnie

and Aunt Lucille, in Los Angeles, CA. While attending John Muir Junior High School,

Earnest was reunited with his mother when she moved to Los Angeles. In 1965,

Earnest graduated from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles and shortly

afterwards he joined the United States Air Force. While serving in the Air Force,

he was stationed at Travis AFB in Fairfield, CA, U.S. AFB in Okinawa, Japan

and Norton AFB at San Bernardino, CA. He reached the rank of Sergeant and

was honorably discharged in 1968.

In 1968, Earnest married Rosalind Thompson, whom he had known since

High School. Two children were born to this union; William and Teresa.

In 1972, the family moved to the Antelope Valley, when Earnest accepted

a job with Lockheed Aircraft in Palmdale, CA as a Structural Assembler.

Earnest recognized the importance of an education and he instilled this in

his children. He himself attended Los Angeles Trade Technical College in

Los Angeles, CA where he earned an Associate of Science Degree in Aircraft

Mechanics. He later attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he

earned a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in Management of Technical Operations.

In 1996, Earnest and Rosalind divorced and in 2000 he married Rhonda Purdle.

They later divorced in 2002. Earnest maintained a close relationship with his

mother Idessa and she lived with him for 10 years before she passed in 2007.

Earnest was employed by Lockheed for over 27 years. He started as a Structural

Assembler and over the years he advanced to Chief of Quality Assurance. Earnest

retired from the workforce January 2012.

Earnest had a love for music; especially Jazz and he had an extensive collection.

He learned to appreciate Jazz from his older sister Paristine. He was known to be

quite meticulous and he took much pride in designing and maintaining the

landscaping of his home. He liked to entertain and he liked being around people.

William Earnest Dossett was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters

and one brother. He leaves to cherish his memory, son William Earnest

Dossett II (Laurie) and daughter Teresa Michelle Jones (Michael): 7 grandchildren,

Kevin Fletcher, Kamani Dossett, Makena Dossett, Isaiah Jones, Kai’a Dossett, Kaleilani Dossett,

and Alana Dossett; one sister, Dr. Barbara Young (Douglas), 1 brother, Major Dossett (Towana);

sister-in-law, Dorothy Dossett.