Lafayette Gatling Sr.
The Man With A Vision
The epitome of a visionary, innovator, pioneer, and source of comfort for millions over his illustrious 40+ year career. Mr. Lafayette Gatling Sr. is The Man With A Vision.
Born on August 5, 1940, in Seaboard North Carolina to the union of Raymond Gatling and Virginia Kee. Mr. Gatling accepted Christ and was baptized at Roanoke Salem Baptist Church in Garysburg, North Carolina. He emerged from humble beginnings to become one of the nation’s premier innovators and preeminent figures in the funeral business.
In 1945, during the Second World War at the very tender age of five, he was challenged by the loss of his mother. At the time of his mother’s passing, his father was somewhere in a fox hole in New Guinea fighting for his country. When the elder Gatling arrived home six months later, he discovered the loss of his wife and his very devastated little boy. It was through this traumatic experience of losing his mother and waiting six months for his father that the five-year-old Lafayette envisioned providing comfort to those suffering the loss of their loved ones.
Mr. Gatling was raised by his grandparents Lummie and Lethie Kee. It was from their influence; he learned the value of integrity and hard work. In 1958, Mr. Gatling was given the opportunity to relocate to Chicago by his Uncle Paul aka “Uncle Duke” and Aunt Mary Goffeny. He often stated: “I came to Chicago on that B & O train.” Upon his arrival, the 17-year-old Lafayette asked himself: “What do I have to offer a big city like Chicago?”
So appreciative to his Uncle Duke and Aunt Mary for allowing him to come to Chicago, he promised: “You’ll never have to get me out of jail, and I’ll never cause you any problems.” He kept his promise. As the owners of Vogue Records, Uncle Duke and Aunt Mary supported him in each of his endeavors. Even as a young man, they saw and believed in the incredible visionary we celebrate today. Aunt Mary was the first to speak life into his dreams, aspirations and his abilities by saying: “Give him what he wants. He’s a businessman.”
From conducting the funeral services of chickens in his North Carolina backyard, to relocating to Chicago to building one of the largest funeral homes in the country, that seed of sorrow created a harvest of help, hope, and healing to millions within the greater Chicagoland area.
As one author quotes: “One is too small of a number to achieve greatness.” Drawn together by their mutual love for the Lord and for gospel music, Mr. Gatling met and married his helpmate, Mrs. Marguerite Ewell Gatling. Together they created the true essence of a modern-day power couple as they partnered in life, parenting, and business success.