Patrick W. Carey

Patrick William Carey, age 80 years of Niles, Michigan; husband, father, grandfather, brother, aviation enthusiast, and computer hobbyist died peacefully at 11:25 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at Buchanan Meadows in Buchanan, Michigan following a brief illness.

He was born on December 15, 1942 in Niles to William and Ruth (Valentine) Carey, and was graduated from Niles High School.  He continued his education at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, but soon began a long career in the engineering department at the Niles plant of the National-Standard Company, from which he retired following 39 years of service.  He has lived all of his life in Niles.

Pat had a great interest in aviation history, especially the World War II era, and also appreciated the contemporary era including several personal sky-diving adventures, and attending the Experimental Aircraft Association annual AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  At home, he was quite fascinated by computers from the very beginning of home-size units, ordering components to construct his own computers, and keeping up-to-date with rapidly advancing technology, improving existing units, and starting from scratch with new units when needed.

On May 15, 1965 he married the former Patricia Bartels, with whom he remained for sixteen years.  Later, on June 19, 1982 he married the former Janice (Smith) Thompson, with whom he celebrated earlier this year the forty-first anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Janice Carey, and his children, Jefferson (& Danetta) Carey of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and Daniel Carey of Charleston, Illinois; Janice’s children, Cheri (& Danny) Kulwicki of Three Rivers, Michigan and Craig (& Michele) Thompson of Niles; grandchildren Gary Driver, Ariel Driver, Robin Carey, Daniel (& Athena) Kulwicki III, Krista Kulwicki-Bizjak (& Joe Bizjak), Katie Kulwicki, Christopher (& Holly) Thompson, Ashlyn Thompson, and Ashlee Pellico; several great-grandchildren; and Pat’s sister, Lee Ann Carey-Fedeli of Minneapolis, Minnesota and her daughter, Angie Heyne.

The family of Patrick Carey will receive relatives and friends on Sunday, December 10, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles.  Committal will be private, at a later date, in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Contributions in memory of Pat may be made to the American Cancer Society, http://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=honormemorialmedia.  Online memories may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Patrick clearly enjoyed life, and was observant of the fine details, which is required of the successful mechanical engineer, skydiver, and computer technician, but he was also successful in caring for the people in his life, especially his family.