Merle Thomas Gathings

YADKINVILLE – Mr. Merle Thomas Gathings, 82, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at the home of his niece.

There will be a memorial service at 2:00 PM, Monday, May 19, 2025, at Gum Springs Baptist Church with Rev. Randy Swaringen officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.

Merle was born August 30, 1942, in Anson County, NC and was a son of the late Roy Barney Gathings and the late Fannie Mae Eddins Gathings. He was a graduate of Anson High School and furthered his education in computer programming, accounting and business administration at Central Piedmont Community College, Georgia State College and Davidson Community College.

He was a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps and believed Once a Marine, Always a Marine.

Merle owned and operated an accounting business for many years with clients in the Winston Salem Triad area and Atlanta, GA. While owning the accounting business, he also traveled in the Southeast doing construction jobs remodeling hotels.

He enjoyed playing the guitar and singing and he played with several bands over the years. He enjoyed genealogy research tracing his family history through multiple generations. His genealogy research was done long before the internet which required trips to courthouses and cemeteries to complete the research.

Merle also took courses in both North Carolina and New York to become a certified chef. One of his great joys was that of working with the Chef and the Child program in Forsyth County, educating children about cooking. He was the recipient of the Presidents Medallion award from the American Culinary Federation.

He was a long-time member of Gum Springs Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon.

Those who are left to cherish his memory are his daughter, Sharon Gathings of Charlotte, his sister, Mary Virginia Bowers of Winston-Salem, his sister-in-law, Deborah Taylor of Lilesville, his nieces and nephews and their families.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Ben Gathings, Fannie Goodwin, Emma Goodwin, Margaret Dutton, Lee Gathings, Sara Jones, Helen Miller, Sue Griffin, Rosa Gathings and Barney Gathings.

In his final years, Merle was lovingly supported by a very special nephew, niece and nephew-in-law, Tommy Bowers and Donna and Joe Overcash. They faithfully assisted with household maintenance, personal errands, medical appointments and questions and technology issues allowing him to remain in the warmth and familiarity of his home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or www.stjude.org.

The arrangements are in the care of Leavitt Funeral Home and online condolences may be made at www.leavittfh.com