Mr. Leonard Tunstle Mathews

On the morning of Wednesday, April 15, 2020 Heaven gained an angel as Earth lost one. Leonard Tunstle Mathews was born on March 19, 1943 to Leamon Mathews and Mattie Pearson-Mathews in Anniston, Alabama. He passed away at the age of 77 years. In 1954, he moved to Saginaw, Michigan with his father and siblings. Leonard served in the United States Army for six years and obtained the Rank of E6, and also served in the Vietnam Conflict. He gained his mechanical skills upon completion at the Marathon Oil Company Management School. He was a foreman at General Motors Corporation. From 1970 through 1975, Leonard and his brother Wilbur owned and operated a Shell and Marathon Gas Station. In 1975, the brothers opened their own auto shop; “Mathews Car Care Center,” where Leonard worked until he retired in 2017. Leonard was a “Jack of all trades”, as he could build and fix anything. He loved drag racing, fishing, doing scratch offs and playing the lottery. He enjoyed listening to Tupac and a good dance party where he could dance. He was always the life of the party and made sure that everyone enjoyed themselves. He could control any dance floor and was known to yell 1,2,3,” FREEZE!”; as everyone would follow his command. He was a member of Mt. Olive Institutional Missionary Baptist Church and St. Luke C. M. E. Church. His greatest joy was seeing his family all together enjoying each other’s company. During his lifetime he had three wives. Geraldine Lowery, Pamela Phillips and Barbara McMath. Leonard leaves to mourn him, and cherish many memories, his wife, Barbara Mathews; his sister, Antoinette (Willie) Matthews; his brother, Wilbur (Mary) Mathews; 16 children, Veronica (Darrell) Stewart, Billy (Wendy) Phillips, Dione Colvin, Denise Mathews, Marquita Mathews-Hill, Tarea Haney, Leondra Mathews, Katrice Phillips-Humphrey, Yalona Haney, TraVanda Thomas, Sieconda (Tyrone) Babbitt, Leonard Burton, Tekorey (Jennifer) Whitson, Santonya (Leonard) Riley, Crystal (Eric) Hackney and Titus McMath; 39 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two god-children, Mi’Asia and Leonarr Buford; nieces, Chandra Howell, Robyn Mathews and Kecia Matthews; nephew, Brian Matthews, along with other nieces and nephews other relatives and friends, including special friends, Tempie Buford, John Smith, Howard Roby, Maxie Roby, Kenny Roby and Duane Jackson (Lil Man). Leonard was preceded in death by his parents, Leamon and Mattie Mathews; one sister, Gwendolyn Mathews; one daughter, Rayna Mathews; one son, Leonarr Moore; two grandsons, Kortnei Lee and Nino Hayes. Funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at the Evans & Browne's Funeral Home, 441 N. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw, MI 48607. Pastor Johnnie Jackson will officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Saginaw, MI 48601. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday, from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m. *******At Evans & Browne's Funeral Home, we value the safety and health of our customers, staff and the general public. Therefore, we will adhere to EXECUTIVE ORDER No. 2020-42 issued by our Governor Gretchen Whitmer, regarding assemblages in the wake of the unprecedented health challenge our state and nation is facing. The Executive Order is as follows: Acting under the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and Michigan law, I order the following: 1. Beginning on April 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm, and continuing through May 1, 2020 at 5:00 pm, all assemblages of more than 10 people in a single indoor shared space and all events of more than 10 people are prohibited in this state. A single indoor shared space includes but is not limited to a room, hall, cafeteria, auditorium, theater, or gallery. The prohibition on assemblages set forth in this section does not apply to: The prohibition set forth in this section does not abridge protections guaranteed by the state or federal constitution under these emergency circumstances. We do understand that this may pose a challenge to you and your family, but our dedicated staff is here to help guide you towards making the best decisions in memorializing your loved one.*

Mr. Leonard Tunstle Mathews

March 19, 1943 - April 15, 2020