Roland Haywood Gabriel

Mr. Roland Haywood Gabriel 64, of Charlotte,NC. passed away Saturday, September 15,2018 at his residence.Funeral service will be held Friday September 21,2018 at Greater Gethsemane AME Zion Church 531 Campus St. Charlotte, NC 28216. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am and the service will follow at 12:00 pm.

Roland Haywood Gabriel, was born January 5, 1954 to Mr. Willie Gabriel, Sr. and the late Mrs. Rita Cauthen Gabriel, in Charlotte, NC.  God chose Saturday, September 15, 2018 to bring Roland home to rejoice in Heaven.

Roland received his early and secondary education from the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System. He attended West Charlotte but graduated from West Mecklenburg High School in 1971after Charlotte’s schools underwent integration.   He was a great athlete and went on to attend Fayetteville State University on a football scholarship. There he developed friendships with teammates that lasted a lifetime. After college he worked for First Union National Bank as a Courier Driver, and Mecklenburg County Government as a Building Permit Writer. He went on to become an employee of Charlotte Skycap Services. With his witty personality and charisma he made friends with people far and wide. He loved telling stories to his children about his funny experiences.

Roland loved sports, he mostly relished attending and supporting all 3 of his children in their sports activities, most notably their Track & Field endeavors, for over 20 years. Roland was very proud of his 3 children and their athletic abilities which he said they gained from him. Roland worked as the Athletic Director and supported the Pop Warner Plaza Road Football Eagles/Rams for many years. He was even more proud and excited to always watch his two grandchildren, Azhar and Sky Bleu continue the Track & Field legacy. He is still legendary for withstanding hours of 90 degree summer heat to watch his grandchildren perform.  Also as a sports fanatic, Roland enjoyed being an original Permanent Seat License owner with the Carolina Panthers and attending home games with his family since 1996.  Roland valued going deep sea fishing with his father and took his son Rolston on many fishing trips.  Some of Roland’s humor and wit comes from watching countless episodes of his favorite television show with Red Foxx in Sanford and Son.

Roland was preceded in death by his mother Rita Gabriel and sister Arltina Gabriel-Tonsul.

His memories will live on forever in the hearts of his three children: Kamilah Tyson, (Ramondo North)  Rolanda Gabriel, and Rolston Gabriel. He loved and cherished his three grandchildren: Azhar Tyson, Sky Bleu Tyson, and Dejir Gabriel-Edwards: father Willie Gabriel, Sr.: brothers: Willie Gabriel Jr. “Bill” (Kim) and Reginald Gabriel (Yvonne): brother-in-law Lamont Tonsul: special niece Syrita Gabriel, and nephew Afya Gabriel, and a host of other relatives and friends.