Carol M. Kirvan
Carol Marie Kirvan, 64, of Potterville – a nature lover, friend to everyone and the person many went to for help – died Tuesday, December 7, 2021 in Lansing. Carol was born on December 21, 1956 in Lansing, the daughter of Duane Harris and Doris Ruth (Feyerabend) Kirvan. She graduated in 1975 from Hill Community High School in Lansing and earned her Bachelor of Science from Lake Superior State College in Sault Ste. Marie in 1979. Carol worked as a florist at Frandor Kroger for eight years before starting in 1990 with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, until her retirement in 2020. She held many positions within MDARD during her 31-year career, including the State Laboratory, emerald ash borer program, nursery inspector and pesticide inspector.
Carol grew up in Lansing and moved to Potterville in 1996, where she was embraced by the community. She had friends all over the world from her travels. She had one state left to visit and was hoping to complete that soon. She was well-known for her huge assortment of hats and vests and was hardly ever without one. She had many interests and hobbies, including bird watching, canoeing, reading, traveling, pontooning, cooking and getting down on the floor to play with her many nieces and nephews. She enjoyed volunteering for numerous organizations including Relay for Life of Charlotte. She was on the Potterville Benton Township District Library Board, was a PBTDL Friends of Library member, was district president of the Lutheran Girl Pioneer Council and helped with bingo at the Eaton Senior Center. She looked forward to helping cook each summer at the Lutheran Girl Pioneers National Camp in Wisconsin and as was a lifelong member of Emanuel Lutheran Church of Lansing, where she also taught Sunday School.
Carol is irreplaceable and her family now has a huge hole, but are so thankful to have enjoyed her for so many years. Many will miss her sense of humor, as well her ability to keep everyone laughing.
She is survived by her loving sisters and brothers: Denise Smith of Baldwin; David and Norma Kirvan of Livonia; Cathy Cox of Clark Lake; Nancy and Mark Schafer of Charlotte; and Eric and Kelly Kirvan of Roy, Utah. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews who will miss her dearly: Sara and Rusty Fullerton, Godson Duane Smith, Dustin and Laurie Schafer, Amber Kirvan, Jessica and Garrick Kirvan Eakin, Goddaughter Shelby and Tyler Royston, and Adam Kirvan; great-nieces and nephews: Jada, Jazlynn, Jenna-Ann, Avery, Lacey, Dean, Claire, Kennedy and Breslin; and great-great niece, Serenity; many cousins and special friends.
She is predeceased by her parents, Duane and Doris (Feyerabend) Kirvan; nephew, Christopher Markus Kirvan (Furryman); great nephew, Brayden James Royston; brothers-in-law, Steven Smith and Monty Cox;
many aunts, uncles and cousins; and her very special aunts, Margaret and Rosie and uncles, Don and John.
If you are able to help us celebrate her life, please wear a hat, vest or Hawaiian shirt to honor her fun-loving spirit. Memories may be shared on Carol’s tribute page at www.prayfuneral.com. Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at Pray Funeral Home with Laura Cooper officiating. Visitation was held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 10, 2021 at the funeral home. The funeral will be webcast so you may watch it from any computer, smartphone or mobile device that has internet access. Go to www.prayfuneral.com, click on Carol’s tribute, then click on “Photos and Videos” from your computer (or “Media” from your smart phone). Memorial contributions are suggested to the PBTDL Friends, Lutheran Girl Pioneer Council or the American Cancer Society. The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home.