Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

September 25, 2026

Son, Brother, Uncle, Father, Grandfather, Counselor, Veteran, Pastor, and Bishop—these are just a few of the titles Marcus Conrad Stapleton carried throughout a long, beautiful, and purpose-filled life. Yet no collection of titles can fully capture the measure of the man. His life was defined by faith, service, resilience, family, and an enduring commitment to helping others. Today, we remember not simply the years he lived but the lives he touched, the family he cherished, the ministry he built, and the legacy of faith and service he leaves behind.

Bishop Marcus Conrad Stapleton was born on May 30, 1950, in Chateaubelair, Saint Vincent, to Florence Thomas-Holder and Walter Ephraim-Menesfah Stapleton. After the death of his beloved mother, he moved to Guyana, South America, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. As the eldest of ten siblings, Marcus learned early about responsibility, strength, and the importance of family—qualities that would remain central throughout his life.

His heart for God also developed at a very young age. He attended the New Testament Church of God in Guyana, where he served as leader of the Youth Ministry. In 1968, he relocated to Brooklyn, New York, with a family from his church in Guyana. There, he joined God's Battalion of Prayer, beginning as a Youth Leader and Sunday School teacher before eventually being ordained as Assistant Pastor. These were more than positions to him; they were expressions of a lifelong calling to serve, teach, protect, encourage, and lead others in faith.

Bishop Stapleton's dedication to service extended beyond the church. On April 15, 1970, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as an 11B infantryman, attaining the rank of Specialist 4. His courage and fortitude during the Vietnam conflict earned him numerous awards and acknowledgments, including the Purple Heart. His military service became another chapter in a life characterized by courage, sacrifice, and devotion to others.

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In 1975, Marcus met Mable Ingrid Browne, whom he soon married. From their union came three precious children: Natisha, Marcus, and Jemaine. Fatherhood became one of the defining joys of his life, and in time, that joy expanded through his beloved grandchildren.

In 1978, answering what he believed to be God's call upon his life, Marcus established and pastored Acts Community Tabernacle on Church Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. The ministry later became Acts Redeeming Christian Center on Beverly Road in Brooklyn. Through preaching, teaching, counseling, and fellowship, Bishop Stapleton dedicated himself to strengthening the faith of others and building a church community rooted in God's Word.

His commitment to people could also be seen throughout his professional life. He worked for the U.S. Post Office before serving at Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council, counseling and assisting families in need. He later became a family counselor with Family Dynamics and advanced to coordinator at Bayview Correctional Facility, where he supported the families of incarcerated mothers. Whether from a pulpit, across a counseling table, or within his community, Marcus consistently found ways to serve people with compassion and purpose.

His gifts and interests were wonderfully varied. Bishop Stapleton was an entrepreneur who owned Sun World Travel and Poema Travel Services. He was also a radio host and on-air personality for WGBB 1240 AM, using music and the airwaves as another avenue to share God's message.

Beyond his many accomplishments was a man who knew how to enjoy life. He loved to read and treasured quiet moments with a book in hand. He enjoyed table tennis, cricket, and Chinese checkers, and he had a special passion for bowling. He was a devoted New York Mets, Knicks, and Giants fan. Sharing those loyalties with his children brought him particular joy, especially when he and his three children would proudly declare, "Knicks in Five!"

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Through every season and every role, Marcus remained anchored by the things that mattered most to him: God, family, faith, and service. He was a devoted man of the Kingdom of God who loved the Lord, his family, his church family, preaching, teaching God's Word, and serving wherever he was called. His legacy is not contained only in what he accomplished; it lives in the people he loved, counseled, encouraged, taught, protected, and inspired.

He leaves to cherish his memory the mother of his children, Mable Stapleton; his daughter, Natisha Stapleton-Berry, and son-in-law, Drexel Berry; his son, Marcus Stapleton Jr., and daughter-in-law, Michelle Stapleton; and his son, Jemaine Stapleton. He also leaves his beloved grandchildren, Link Berry, Halo Stapleton, Levi Berry, and London Berry; his sisters, Vernitt Warren, Carol Clark, Hazel Stapleton, Tessa DeMendonca, Earla McCall, and Melanie Henry; his brothers, David Stapleton and Bilton Holder; and a host of other relatives, church family, loved ones, and friends. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Benjamin Roberson and Daniel Stapleton.

Although Bishop Marcus Conrad Stapleton is no longer with us physically, the imprint of his life remains. His legacy can be found in his family, in the faith he nurtured, in the ministry he built, in the people he served, and in every life made better because Marcus was part of it.

He would often say, "Today is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." So today, even through our sorrow, we choose to honor him in that same spirit. We remember his strength. We celebrate his faith. We give thanks for his service. We cherish his love. And above all, we honor a life that was lived with purpose.

Marcus Conrad Stapleton was many things to many people, but to all who loved him, he was unforgettable. His earthly journey has ended, but his testimony, his influence, and his legacy will continue through the generations that follow him.

May God rest his soul, and may his memory forever be a blessing.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204. (704) 641-7606. You can share an online condolence at www.kennethpoeservices.com.