Mr. Eric Dewayne Marks Jr.

MARKS, JR., Mr. Eric Dewayne - Age 23, passed away Thursday, May 7, 2015 at Tallassee Community Hospital - Tallassee, AL. Family hour 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2015 at Foss Ave. Baptist Church, 1159 E. Foss Ave., with funeral service commencing at 12 p.m. Rev. Dr. Reginald Flynn officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Association, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Mr. Marks Jr. will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed with family present from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Friday. Mr. Eric DeWayne Marks, Jr. was born in May 10, 1991 in Detroit, Michigan to Pastor Eric D. Sr. and Sister Trina Marks. Eric was the eldest child of two. Most importantly, Eric Jr. accepted Christ for himself as his Lord and Savior at the age of 7 and was baptized. He was a saved and humble young man. He became busy for the Lord. Eric was an Usher, Choir member and Pianist. He was engaged in numerous church and Great Lakes District Congress of Education events. He was one of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speakers at First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. He was a Great Lakes District and State Oratorical winner. He was the third place Oratorical winner at the National Baptist Convention, USA, INC. He used his gift of playing the piano for several churches in Flint, Atlanta, Georgia and Tuskegee, Alabama. Eric graduated from Hill-McCloy High School in Montrose, MI. He was his high school Senior Class President and was an, inductee of the National Honor Society. He was featured in the newspaper for speaking to fifth graders on the dangers of smoking. He volunteered his services with the Children’s Miracle Network, and was the host for Teenagers against Tobacco Use. He was the Chairman for the Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser to help Jerry’s Kids. He was also Mr. Montrose (male pageant winner) and earned numerous academic awards. He was invited to travel and study in Australia in the summer of 2009. Eric was accepted to Tuskegee University to the College of Engineering, Architecture and Physical Sciences with a major in Aerospace Science Engineering while working on a minor in Mechanical Engineering. Eric earned a Tuskegee University Merit Scholarship and then was announced as a Bill Gates Millennium Scholar out of 20,500 candidates. He was one of 1,000 to be recognized in the program’s 10th anniversary class. He was featured in Ebony as a Gates Foundation Millennium Scholar and on BET during the United Negro College Fund segment. Eric won numerous scholarships while attending Tuskegee University. As a Tuskegee student Eric was selected as a Bioethics Honor Student and an inductee of the Honor Society. He was the President of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Honor Society. He was a part of the National Society of Black Engineers and a member of the Tuskegee Gentleman. He placed first place during the President’s Essay Oratorical contest on a couple of occasions. Eric pledged and was accepted into the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He was their Chapter President. He also won Oratorical contests for the Alpha Phi Alpha Chapter. Outside of the accolades mentioned above Eric DeWayne Marks Jr. was a proud, emotional, physical and financial responsible father of a beautiful daughter that he and Brittany Thomas birthed into this world. He came home every year for her birthday, for her first day of school and sent for her to join him in Everett, Washington during a summer internship. Words cannot express how much he truly loved his daughter, Torie Lanae Marks. Eric also loved his sister, Niesha Marks who was very dear to his heart.

Mr. Eric Dewayne Marks Jr.

May 10, 1991 - May 7, 2015