Carleton Paul Cornils

Carl Cornils, age 75, of Saranac, MI, caught his flight to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. He was born in Los Angeles, CA, on February 16, 1948, and raised in the Bay Area. He then moved to Michigan after marrying Denise, where he started a family and a business.

He was an extraordinary dad, grandpa, and friend; he was loved by all. He was the salt of the earth with an amazing sense of humor. As a skilled storyteller, his stories often included a dose of humor and history. In retirement, he cherished spending time with family and friends, as well as the companionship of his cats and the natural serenity of his country home.

An adventurous man of many talents and hobbies, he enjoyed downhill skiing, sport shooting, deer hunting, camping, hiking, mountaineering, scuba diving, Aikido, biking, and sailing. He loved family trips, especially to the vineyards of Napa, CA and The Sierra and Rocky Mountains. Camping trips to Mackinaw, MI were also a perennial favorite. In retirement, he stayed active with his local veteran’s and sportsman’s clubs, as well as a volunteer special deputy with the Kalamazoo Water Recovery team.

He was a licensed builder and entrepreneur, owning and operating an insulation and building company for 35 years prior to retirement. As a journeyman carpenter, he was skilled at home construction, carpentry, repairs, and metal art. He was a history and geography buff which inspired his home decor of maps and antiques. Participating in the school drama club led to a lifelong curiosity for the behind-the-scenes aspects of film production.

He proudly served in the US Air Force as an Air Transportation Specialist and his fascination with planes stayed with him. He never missed bringing the family to the annual airshows. He always kept an eye on the sky and had a knack for identifying anything flying overhead.

He was generous with his knowledge and time, and vigilant about self-defense and protecting others. He volunteered for many years with the National Ski Patrol and coaching Special Olympics. Whether with home improvement projects, coordinating logistics, or offering sage advice, he enthusiastically loved helping others in any way he could. To help others navigate the difficult path through grief, he continued to publish and distribute his father’s book The Mourning After. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. Stanley and Norene (Voget) Cornils. He will be lovingly remembered by his family: sons, Paul (Amy) Cornils, Lance (Anya) Cornils; daughter, Michelle Cornils; grandson, Lucas Cornils; brother, Cal (Sharen) Cornils; niece, Kristie (Rob) Taylor; nephew, Kevin (Katya) Cornils and former wife, Denise Ritsema.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of sending flowers, please donate to something Carl loved The Second Amendment Foundation or Cat Rescue