Carroll M. Avery

AVERY, Carroll M.
Of Kalamazoo, Michigan Carroll peacefully passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2009 at Rose Arbor Hospice Residence. He was born September 18, 1929 in Jackson, Michigan. A former leader in the Kalamazoo area mortgage banking industry, Carroll was also well-known and respected for his work throughout Southwestern Michigan. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and began his career in 1953 at Michigan National Bank in Lansing. He earned the position of Vice President by heading the bank's Mortgage Sales and Services Division. In April of 1972, he was appointed President of American National Mortgage Company, a newly formed subsidiary of American National Bank now Fifth/Third Bank in Kalamazoo. He eventually went on to become Senior Vice President of the bank and held that position until his retirement in 1988. He was united in marriage to his loving wife Josephine "June" Jahnke of Ann Arbor on February 23, 1952, who survives. Also surviving are their 4 children; Sharon Greg Hankamp of Holland, Marjory Tom McClure of Portage, Michael Kim Avery of Mattawan and Mark Heidi Avery of St. Paul, Minnesota; 9 grandchildren; 1 niece; and 3 nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents Perry and Leita Avery, along with his brother, Ron Avery, all of Jackson. The family will receive friends on Monday, January 26 from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St., Kalamazoo. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 AM on Tuesday, January 27 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1150 W. Center Ave., Portage. A luncheon will follow at the church hall. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials in Carroll's memory be directed to Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL, 60601-7633 - OR - Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007-3882. Please visit www.langelands.com to sign the guest book or leave a condolence to the family.