Merrill Keith Corlew Sr.

CORLEW, Merrill Keith, Sr. – of Davison, MI, age 80, went to be with the Lord, Friday, June 27, 2025. A Funeral Service will be held 11 AM Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Emmanuel Church of Flint, 6434 Richfield Road, Flint, MI 48506; Pastor Luke Hollis, Pastor Brent Bowden and Rick Stomps co-officiating. The family will receive visitors 2-7 PM Monday, July 7, 2025 at Allen Funeral Home, 9136 Davison Road, Davison, MI 48423 and 10-11 AM Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Emmanuel Church.
Merrill was born in Gladwin, MI on July 25, 1944, son of the late Julius and Nellie (Combs) Corlew. Born with a heart to serve and hands always ready to help, Merrill lived a life marked by kindness, commitment, and unwavering dedication to others. On June 5, 1965, Merrill married the love of his life, Carla Fortier. Together, they built a life centered around faith, family, and service - a bond that stood strong for nearly six decades. Merrill was a steadfast servant of his faith and was deeply involved in church life throughout the years. He was a respected member of the AWANA advisory board and faithfully served as a deacon and commander at Emmanuel Church in Otisville. He was formerly a member of both Emmanuel Church of Flint and Emmanuel Church of Otisville, and most recently, a proud and active member of The Baptist Church of Hadley. His faith was not just something he spoke about - it was something he lived, every day, through quiet acts of love and tireless service. After 41 years of dedicated work, Merrill retired from General Motors in 2006. Even in retirement, he remained anything but idle. Whether cheering on his beloved Detroit Tigers, casting a line on a peaceful lake, tending his garden, or heading into the woods for a quiet day of hunting, Merrill found joy in the simple gifts of life. His pies were a family treasure, his carpentry skills admired by many, and his generosity unmatched. Merrill leaves behind a legacy of faith, hard work, humility, and love. He will be remembered not only for what he did, but for who he was - a man who gave of himself freely, served with a joyful heart, and loved deeply. He will be dearly missed.
Merrill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Carla Corlew; 2 children, M. Keith (Christie) Corlew Jr. and Jeremy (Jennifer) Corlew; 11 grandchildren, Kaytie (Zachary) Edwards, Micah Corlew, Wilson (Jennessa) Anderson, Ben (Shelby) Anderson, Emily Corlew, Karrie (Tim) Mitchell, Joshua Corlew, Allyssa Corlew, Ashleigh (Max) Vanwelsenaere, Alexis Corlew and Asa Corlew; 9 great-grandchildren; 3 brothers, Wayne Corlew, George (Carolyn) Corlew and Dale (Anita) Corlew; sister-in-law, Sherry Corlew; several nieces, nephews, other loving family members and many, many good friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Nellie Corlew; son, Pastor Matthew Corlew; 5 siblings, Lester (JoAnn) Corlew, Kenneth (Shirley) Corlew, John (Jackie) Corlew, Anna Smith and Vern Corlew and sister-in-law, Fern Corlew.
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