Richard Maurice Tunstall

Richard Maurice Tunstall was born March 4, 1971 to Teresia Ramona Tunstall. After a short stent in East Chicago Heights, Illinois he and his mom moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where she met and married, Gil Gridiron Sr. At the young age of nine, the family moved to Robbins IL, where he attended Madison Elementary, Prairie Hills Junior High in Markham and later Hillcrest High School in Hazel Crest. At an extremely early age he accepted his calling to Christ. A fond memory is of him teaching his brother Gil how to ride a bike, as he pushed him, telling him to say, “Jesus I can do it, Jesus I can do it”, and eventually with the guidance of Richard and Jesus, Gil mastered his bike riding skills. At the time of his passing he was a member of Tabernacle of Faith Church located in Homewood, IL. Out of high school he chose to enter the United States military, under the branch of the Air Force where he was a member of the Civil Engineering Squadron. Richard strived for excellence in all his endeavors. His educational drive had no boundaries. He received his Associate of Theology from Charles Harrison Mason System of Bible Colleges. He received his paralegal certification, attended Success Barber College and was currently enrolled at Triton College pursuing certification in small engine repairs. From a young age Richard was a self-starter and very ambitious. He was a manager for Footlocker throughout the Illinois and Indiana regions and assisted at numerous restaurants throughout the south suburban area. Preceding him in death were his great grandmother: Eva Lee Jones; his grandfather: Ed Lee Brown; his stepfather: Gil Gridiron Sr.; his unforgettable great aunt: Thelma Edwards; his niece: GaNyah Gridiron; his special cousin: Ernest Burr; and other close relatives too numerous to name. Richard leaves to cherish his memory, his devoted mother, Teresia Gridiron; his dad: Eric (Janice) Searcy; three brothers: Gil (Andrea) Gridiron, Derick Gridiron, Anton (Shantelle) of Gridiron; one sister: Talia (Jerome) Gridiron; his grandmother: Geneva Brown; his grandfather: Maryland Tunstall; his great grandmother: Samantha Beamon; one uncle: Edward Brown; four aunts: Cynthia (Dumas), Jeanne (Jeffery) Vance, Dorothea (Kenneth) Franklin and Geneva Brown-Holder; 16 great aunts and 13 great uncles from across the U.S.; 17 nieces and nephews; and a host of cousins and friends too numerous to mention.

Tributes

Richard Maurice Tunstall

March 4, 1971 - October 16, 2016