Gerald Elmer Eccleston

CREEDMOOR Gerald Elmer Eccleston, upon his request and after waiting patiently for God to call him home, joined the fold of God’s loving arms on Thursday, April 21, 2016. He is predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Patricia Angeline Cornell Eccleston; his sons, Robert and Vincent Eccleston; and his daughter, Sharon Eccleston Kunz. He leaves behind his sisters Ruth Nichols (NY), Esther Shafer (NY) and Lillian Passett (OH); sons Gene Eccleston (wife Tina) and David Eccleston (wife Kathy); and his daughters Carol Lawton (husband Dennis); Cindy Radford (husband Kenneth); Brenda Mangum (husband Gregory); and Sue Thompson (husband Michael) in addition to many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Gerald was born just prior to the onset of the Great Depression. He graduated from Binghamton Central High School and attended Alliance Missionary Technical Institute, now known as Nyack College, to pursue the career of a musical evangelist. While at the university at the age of 17, Gerald heard a roommate playing the musical saw and purchased one immediately. In addition to playing this musical saw for 70 years, Gerald played the organ for Fellowship Baptist Church for over 40 years and also sang solo and in group arrangements. Gerald was featured on WRAL’s Tarheel Traveler, which led to him being invited to the NYC Saw Festival in 2015 at which he was honored as the world’s oldest musical saw player.
Gerald lived an amazing testament to God’s grace. In addition to growing up during the Great Depression, his first professional career was for IBM in NY. He followed IBM’s relocation to RTP in 1965 and retired 41 years ago, still with multiple school age children. He then worked as a security guard for Overnight Trucking Company and after that, a driver for Colorcraft. His final career was for the Wake County Public School System as a school bus driver. The parents of his bus riders said they could set their watches by the time he picked up their children.
Gerald lost his wife 8 years ago, yet he maintained a fierce independence. As his children cared for him in his final days, he was lucid and competent and he assisted them consistently by letting them know precisely what he needed, all the while maintaining a sense of humor.
Gerald’s children wish to tell the world what an honor it has been to be raised by such an amazing Christian father and to care for him in his final days at his home.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 23rd at 2 p.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church. Dr. Rick Finley will officiate. Entombment will be in the Oak Grove Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be Barak Eccleston, Joseph Mann, Kevin Radford, Bryan Radford, D. J. Eccleston and Nick Mann.
The family will receive friends on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Hudson Funeral Home and on Saturday from 12:30 to 2 p.m., prior to the service at the church.
Flowers are appreciated, but in lieu of flowers, donations to Fellowship Baptist Church’s Building Fund, 515 Southerland St., Durham NC 27703 are welcomed. Online condolences may be made at www.hudsonfuneralhome.com.