Reginald "Dick" Gatling

Reginald (Dick) Mills Gatling, Jr. was born on March 15, 1957 in Gates County, North Carolina, to the late Mills J. Gatling and Bernice V. Riddick Gatling. He entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at his home in Gates, North Carolina.

Reginald attended the public schools of Queens, New York. He served in the United States Military for a brief period. He joined Prince of Peace Baptist Church in the Bronx, New York, where he served as a deacon and sang with the male chorus as well as a soloist. Reginald was an avid dog lover. He also loved to hunt. He loved his family and friends. He also loved music. Reginald didn’t let his worldly problems get him down. He lived his life to the fullest.

Reginald was preceded in death by his parents, Bernice and Mills Gatling; one grandchild, Roosevelt L. Vann, Jr.; three sisters, Patricia Gatling Stephens, Shelia Simmons and Idella Simmons; his maternal grandparents, Wilbur and Lillie Riddick; paternal grandparents, June and Sarah Gatling; brothers-in-law, William Stephens, Sr. and Isaac Hiers;  sister-in-law, Gracie Simmons; nephews, Patrick and William Stephens, Jr.;  and great nephew, Jeffrey Hiers, Jr.

He leaves to cherish his memories his wife Minnie Reid Gatling of Gates, North Carolina, two sons, Roosevelt L. Vann of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Reginald Gatling, Jr. of Woodbury, Virginia; one daughter, Eleanor young of Charlotte, North Carolina; five grandchildren, Shamar Vann, Joseph Vann, Lilee Vann, Khnai Vann all of Waterbury, Connecticut; and Najere Leeper of Charlotte, North Carolina; two great grandchildren, Alaiya Vann of Waterbury, Connecticut, and Sterling Leeper of Charlotte, North Carolina; one brother, Thomas Simmons (Yvette) of Smoaks, South Carolina; six sisters, Linda Hiers, Gwendolyn Simmons, Darlene Simmons all of Smoaks, South Carolina, Juanita Gatling of Queens, New York, Louvenia Simmons of Branchville, South Carolina and Tracey (Matthew) Simpson of Walterboro, South Carolina and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. He will be sorely missed.

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