Michael Eugene Gilbreath Sr. was born on October 30, 1956, and went home to be with his Lord and Savior Christ on Saturday, January 24, 2026. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lewis R. Gilbreath Jr. and Climrose Franklin Gilbreath; brothers, Lewis R. “Brother” Gilbreath III and James “Ronnie Gilbreath; mother-in-law, Rosetta Styles; and brother-in-law James "Fats" Styles, Jr.

Michael was in the graduating class of 1974 from Austin High in Knoxville, TN. He worked at Gerdau Ameristeel for 36yrs until he retired in 2012. He loved listening to music and entertaining his friends and family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother.

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife, Aretha N. Gilbreath; daughters, Michelle (Frank) Gilbreath, Candice Gilbreath, and Taquasha (Tommy) Dunn; sons, Michael (Betty) Gilbreath Jr., Thomas (Laquisha) Bishop Jr., and Codie Eugene “Walter” Gilbreath (fur baby); grandchildren, Michael III, Mi'Khael Gilbreath, Dessiah Gilbreath, Mikayla Gilbreath, Bradasia Wykle, Adarion & Ramiah Patton, D’Mayla Holliday, Tommie Dunn, Thomajah, and Yara Rae Bishop; great-grandchildren, Malachii Gilbreath and Dewayne Mitchell III; sister, Patricia “Pudding” Smith; nieces and nephews, Tron (Shantae) Rodgers, Sharee (Michael) Hines, Dewayne Smith, Tawana Geter, Selena (Howard) Kimber, Aunts Wanda Parton, Dora Bowden, Johnnie Bridges; loving cousins, Juney, Kenneth “Butch” (Debra), Gary “Spanky” (Delilah), Bonnie, Patrick, Rochelle, Tasha, Von Smith; special friends, Kenneth Davis, Lawrence Johnson; and special father-in-law, James E. Styles Sr., and a host of other friends and family too numerous to name.