Thomas E. Black

Thomas E. Black, age 77, of Flint, passed away on Sunday, November 24, 2024. The Memorial Service will be held in his birth state of Tennessee in Summer 2025, please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers this holiday season. Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. Online condolences can be shared by visiting his obituary page at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.

Thomas was born on April 26, 1947, in Pulaski, Tennessee to the late Andrew & Margaret Jo Black and was one of twenty-one children. Thomas’s lifelong passion was working on a carnival. Starting at the age of 16 working with A.J. Carl and moving to many other shows including Link Shows and W.G. Wade Shows, his time with the carnivals was spent with a great portion of it truck driving. However, as a crew superintendent he did all sorts of jobs from setting up the carnival rides to operating them which was his biggest source of pride. The rides he worked with the most were the Twister and the Zipper, and these experiences contributed greatly to his personality and the stories he loved to share. Due to his experience with the carnival rides, Thomas made small engine repairs and tinkered with other mechanical things as well as working as a driver to Fick Excavating before an injury ended his career. His most favorite thing to do was go fishing with his son and grandson but he also got caught up in watching Westerns like GunSmoke and supporting his favorite football teams. Thomas and Ronda moved to their current neighborhood in 1991, and since then Thomas had the reputation of being the neighborhood social butterfly. Thomas made friends easily and welcomed those around him with his humble and gentle nature. He could always be seen sitting on his porch watching the neighborhood and conversing with those walking by. Above all he cherished time spent with his family, especially his grandkids.

He married Ronda in Alabama on July 5, 1971, and together they were blessed with their son. In the early years of their family, they spent a great deal of time traveling with their work. After many years traveling with the carnival, they made the move to Michigan in 1985 and settled as a family. 

Thomas is survived by his loving wife of 53 years in marriage, Ronda; his two children, Sarah (Larry) Kirby and Thomas "T.J." (Roberta) Black; grandchildren, Jada Black, Andrew “Bubba” Black, Larry Howard, Damian Howard and Marcus Howard; his four sisters, Nancy, Mamie, JoAnna and Vee as well as several great grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 16 siblings.