Kenneth J. Carr

Kenneth J. Carr, 92, of Sister Lakes, MI went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, November 15, 2015, after a brief illness.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, November 20, 2015 at Sister Lakes Community Church, 67119 M-152, Dowagiac, MI. Burial will follow at Mission Hills Cemetery.  Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 A.M – 12:00 PM prior to the service at the Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sister Lakes Community Church or to the Parkview Baptist Church in Benton Harbor. Those wishing to leave a memory or condolence of Kenneth online may do so at www.clarkch.com.   Kenneth was born in Three Rivers, MI, February 7, 1923 to James Henry and Alice May (Dean) Carr. Marian Jean (Andrews) Carr, his wife of 55 years, preceded him in death in 2002. His second wife, Dorothy (Buitendyk) Carr, died in February, 2015.  His life was one of faith, kindness, honesty, and generosity. A devout and humble follower of Christ, Ken was very active in the church and much beloved by his church, family and friends of Sister Lakes Community Church, and Napier Parkview Baptist Church of Benton Harbor. A 1940 graduate of Benton Harbor High School, he attended Western Michigan University until he enlisted in the US Army in 1942, in which he served during and after WW II until 1946. Ken saw combat in northern France with the 66th Panther Division and participated in the occupation of Austria. He survived the sinking of the troop ship, Leopoldville, off the coast of France on Christmas Eve 1944, when bound for the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1949. Over the course of his professional career he worked for CTS, Bendix, Raytheon, Leco, Zenith, and Sonicraft; continuing his education with graduate work at the University of Notre Dame, University of Kansas, and University of Rhode Island. He expressed his lifelong love of music by singing, directing church choirs, playing violin, viola, piano, listening to classical music,  and by whistling joyfully as he went about his daily life. A devoted father, he enjoyed taking his family camping, fishing, and deer hunting.  He is survived by his sister Carol Lucille Zoerner of New Hudson, MI; children James (Jennifer Lane) Carr of Denton, TX, Margaret (James) Phillips of Ipswich, MA, Mary Alice (Thomas) Ray of Hartwell, GA, Richard (Laura) Carr of Canton, MI; grandchildren Elizabeth (Scott) Chenevare of Oklahoma City, OK, Andrew Carr of Canton, MI, Ian Phillips and Christopher Phillips of Ipswich, MA, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers Richard Irving Carr and Stanley Dean Carr.