ELBERT TUTT, II was born on October 6, l947 in Selma, Alabama.
He was the second of three children born to Frank Everett Tutt and Bertha Reeves Tutt. His father was in the United States Navy, consequently the family was stationed at various locations during his childhood years, including the Panama Canal Zone.
Elbert attended Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee where he joined and became an officer in the school’s National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC). The NDCC is homogenous with the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).
During his high school years, he was introduced to his future wife, Gwendolyn Moore, by her cousin, James Reynolds. There was a mutual, immediate attraction. Following graduation, Elbert enlisted into the United States Marine Corps and he and Gwen married.
To this union four daughters were born: Dorothy, Evangelynn, Chrystyl, and Dyani. Elbert successfully achieved his basic training at Parris Island, S.C. as part of the Second Recruit Battalion. At its conclusion, he was deployed to Vietnam to serve with the 3rd Marine Division for thirteen months. He was only nineteen years old.
Elbert returned home safely from Vietnam as a Lance Corporal to his wife and baby, Dotti, who was born while he was deployed. He completed his three-year tour in the Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Guantanamo, Cuba and Puerto, Rico.
Subsequent to his honorable discharge from the military, Elbert moved his family to the suburbs of Los Angeles, California where they lived for seven years. During this period, he was employed by the Rapid Transit District of Los Angeles.
He and Gwen added another daughter to the family, Vangi. After the untimely, tragic death of his wife’s mother, Elbert moved the family back to the South, first to Memphis and eventually to Atlanta in 1976.
Elbert and his family thrived in the Atlanta area among family and friends. They continued to grow their family with two more daughters, Chrystyl and Dyani. He was employed by General Motors. In 1981 Elbert graduated from Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Georgia with a Chiropractic Assistant certification. As a result, he began to work as an assistant to his wife in her chiropractic office.
Elbert had a passion for cooking. One of his favorite dishes was seafood gumbo. His special recipe was the piece de resistance every Christmas. He also loved decorating the house for all holidays and dressing up to pass out treats on Halloween. He was a person of high fashion from head to toe and sported a nine-inch afro hairdo in the 70’s.
His wry sense of humor was appreciated by many. Elbert left the Atlanta area in the early 1990’s, consequently moving to Mexico after briefly residing in Memphis and Las Vegas.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a grandson, two nephews, and one great nephew. Elbert transitioned into the Afterlife Sunday, January 28, 2024.
He leaves to cherish his memory four devoted daughters, Dorothy Brown (Cedric), Dr. Chrystyl Tutt and Dyani Tutt, all of Acworth, Georgia, Evangelynn Caver of Atlanta, Georgia, former wife Dr. Gwendolyn M. Tutt of Acworth, Georgia, 9 grandsons, Alex Lewis, Dylan Lewis, Brandon Lewis, Cameron Matthews, Christian Cambridge, and Kingston Cambridge, Braxton Weaver all of Acworth, Georgia, Kaughlin Caver of Seattle, Washington, Carl “CJ” Caver of Atlanta, Georgia, brother Paul Tutt (Linda), of Memphis, Tennessee, sister Deborah Chism of Kansas City, Missouri, and many loving nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
