Mr. Thomas Lee McGatha, age 63 of Centre, passed away on Monday, July 14th at Noland Hospital in Anniston.

A funeral service will be held at 3 PM on Sunday, July 20th at the Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Tim Smith officiating. Interpreter services will also be provided. Visitation for Mr. McGatha’s friends and colleagues will be held Saturday, July 19th, from 4 PM to 6 PM at the Usrey Brown Funeral Home Chapel in Talladega. Family will receive friends from 2 PM until the hour of service at the Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home Chapel on Sunday.

Survivors include his mother, Linda Vines McGatha; Sisters, Donna McGatha and Martha (John) Bush; Special friends, Barbara Hutton and Terry Britt; Several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive, along with many other friends from ASD & AIDB of Talladega.

Pallbearers are Daniel Hodges, Brian Morris, Thomas Smith, Matt Shepherd, Sean Denty, Ean Denty.

Thomas attended the Alabama School for Deaf in Talladega. He worked for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, where he retired after 25+ years of employment. Fishing, hunting, Alabama Football, and NASCAR racing were his favorite things to do and watch. Mr. McGatha was known for his incredible love for his family, especially his nieces and nephews. Though he never had any children of his own, he always treated them as if they were his, spoiling them and teaching them valuable life lessons through sign language- often signing God’s Word to them.

He is preceded in death by his father, M.L. McGatha and his brother, Dale McGatha.

The family will be accepting flowers or donations towards his funeral expenses.

Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home in charge of all arrangements.