Tyrone Eric Gatling

Tyrone Eric Gatling, Sr. was born June 18th, 1956 to proud parents William and Inice in Suffolk, Virginia. Tyrone passed from this mortal plane just days after going into cardiac arrest in his home.

Eric has two sisters, Mrs. Mary Alice (Morris) Daniel of Suffolk, Virginia and Mrs. Jewell (Cedric) Fuller of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1965, the family moved to Washington, D.C. where Eric graduated from Eastern High School in June 1974. In September of 1974, Eric began his undergraduate studies at Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Following a year and a half time-out to begin a family, Eric and then wife, Beverly, returned to Wilberforce University where they both graduated in November 1980. This union was graced by three outstanding young men Tyrone Jr. (1976), Anthony (1978) and Wesley (1983).

In 1981, Eric began a thirty-eight-year career with General Motors Corporation beginning as a college graduate in training and progressing through the organization at the Defiance, Ohio plant. In 1994, Eric was promoted to production superintendent and transferred to Saginaw, Michigan. During this time, he began graduate studies in Organizational Development at Central Michigan University. In his time away from work, Eric became a Prince Hall Mason and eventually Worshipful Master of H. York Harrison #32 in 2002. Eric also was a member of Wolverine Consistory, as well as, an officer of Oman Temple #71. Eric met and later married Ms. Lillian Davis.

In 1998, Eric was given the opportunity to participate in a two-year executive development program at the joint venture between General Motors and Toyota at the former Nummi auto / truck facility in the Bay area of Fremont, California.

In 2000, Eric completed assignments in places like Argentina and Brazil before he was assigned as area manager at the GM parts plant in Bay City, Michigan. Eric would complete his graduate studies and eventually meet and fall in love with the beautiful Ms. Patricia Elaine Sangster. Proposing to her at the 65th Annual Charity Ball of Mecca Temple #43 where he was being honored as its Illustrious Potentate much to the surprise and glee of the hundreds of families, Nobles, Daughters and friends gathered on Saturday, March 10,2018. Eric and Patricia were joined in matrimony September 20, 2019.

Eric was a faithful member of Jerusalem Baptist Church where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He took great pride in being a member of Amazon Lodge #108, St. John's #24 Consistory and the Magnificent Mecca Temple #43, all of Toledo.

A mature Eric appreciated great “cool jazz”, old school rhythm and blues, traveling and a good two-step; feet and knees permitting.

Eric was preceded in death by his mother, father, and son Anthony. He leaves wife, Patricia Gatling, sons Tyrone Jr. (San Diego, CA), Wesley (Indianapolis, IN), Antoine Davis (Flint, MI), Sylvester Davis (Nashville, TN), Donte Davis (Los Angeles, CA), daughters Nastarsha Sangster-Bryant (Saginaw, MI), Ms. Tiesha Anderson (Grand Rapids, MI), sisters Mary Alice (Morris) Daniel (Suffolk, VA) and Mrs. Jewell Fuller (Philadelphia, PA) as well as a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, friends and fraternal brothers and sisters.