Carrell V. Shuler II

Wow these years have flown by... I guess that's because they have always seemed so magical to me. If you are reading this, the line from the Monty Python movie that states, "I'm not dead yet," is not accurate, because I am...

I was born March 16, 1947, at Pawating Hospital in Niles, MI. I feel so blessed to have been born to my parents, Isabel A. Shuler and Carrell V. (Bud) Shuler. They both worked very hard and sacrificed much to make sure we had everything we needed... I always felt very lucky.

I had to hang around two more years to meet my sister Marijane and 11 years to meet my baby brother Peter Jon... The best siblings ever!

I met my sweet Susan at Winter Camp in Grayling, Michigan, when I was a senior in high school, and she was a few years younger than me... One of the luckiest days of my life! We were married on March 16, 1968, which also happens to be my birthday, so my anniversary has been easy to remember... She has stuck with me through so much and I am grateful and blessed for that. Her professional career was as a nurse in the childbirth unit, and she worked very hard to make sure we were all OK.

Our son Christopher was born January 8, 1970, and our daughter Molly was born February 2 (Groundhog's Day), 1971... I could not have asked for better kids... They have proved to be a joy and an adventure and have given us five wonderful, exciting, and fun grandkids. Christopher and his dear wife Angela presented us with Levi and Elsa. On a sad note, we lost their middle child, Abigail, just a few days after she was born. Our daughter Molly and her then-husband Jerrett presented us with three wonderful granddaughters, Olivia, Chloe, and Sofia. Each one of our five grandkids knows that we love each one of them the very best, and each one of them is our favorite.

I spent some time in the Army at Fort Sam Houston in Texas for basic and AIT training and then the rest of my time at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as an E-5 Hospital Personnel Specialist at Reynolds Army Hospital.

I graduated from Andrews Academy, then Andrews University with a Bachelor's in English, and then Western Michigan University with a Master's in Counseling and Personnel.

I think my first job was pulling weeds in my uncle's dahlia garden... I had many jobs from pool maintenance to construction to janitorial service to being a soda jerk. I did an inventory for a class in my Master's program, and I think I counted 30 different jobs I had from the time I was a kid until I was an adult. After being released from the Army, I interviewed for a job with Berrien County Juvenile Court as a counselor at the Youth Service Bureau, and I had that job for 30 years. I was supervisor of that unit for the last number of years. I loved it... working with people every day from all different areas of life. I always felt like I learned something from every person that I worked with... some good things, some bad things. During that time, I also taught classes at Lake Michigan College as an adjunct instructor. It lasted 14 years and was another good experience. After retirement from the county and LMC, I had the perfect retirement job at Berrien RESA as the delivery van driver... it was delightful.

Susan has been my blessing and inspiration, and she has opened the world of travel to me... We have gone many places in the world together that I probably would not have gone to by myself, but I feel like I have grown from that... The phrase, "Eyes that travel see," is so true.

I was fortunate to have many fun activities and pastimes in my life. I was a runner, a rock and mountain climber, a backpacker, a skier on the National Ski Patrol, the family "boat boy," a tent and trailer camper, and the guy who can fix things.

Most recently I have been involved with The GhostLight Theatre in the Benton Harbor Arts District as a volunteer and occasional actor.

It has opened a whole new world of interest to me, and if I had possessed any talent in singing, dancing, or acting I might have even been more involved. It did, however, introduce me to a new part of the family I chose, my theater family.

In addition to my pretty great family, I have been blessed during my life to have some very wonderful friends... It is said that "there is the family you are born with and the family you choose," and I have been blessed with both. I also have been blessed by our two "knucklehead" puppies, Lulu and Millie, who have provided so much fun and support.

I am survived by...

My wife Susan; our son Christopher (Angela); our daughter Molly (Allen); our grandchildren Olivia (Jason) Kerby, our great-grandson Otis, Levi Shuler, Chloe Pate, Sofia Pate, and Elsa Shuler. And of course, Lulu and Millie. Each one of them is a treasure.

If you feel the need to donate to anything, please choose something of your choice or one of my favorite and very worthy places:

• The GhostLight Theatre BH
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Please take care of yourselves and each other... I love you all, and we will meet again someday.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Allred Funeral Home. www.AllredFuneralHome.com