Norman K. Cary

Norman Kenneth Cary passed into the presence of his Savior on Sunday, April 16, 2023. Norm was born in Pennfield Township on July 29, 1931, to Charles P. & Vida L. (Case) Cary, and continued to live on the family farm property until his death.

Norman graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1949. Norman was united in marriage to  Dorothy “Joan” Sheffield on August 16, 1952, at the home of her parents in Lacey, MI. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Joan; son, Stephen (Connie) Cary; daughters, Marcia (Matt) Ellison and Esther (David) Rudd, nine grandchildren & eleven great-grandchildren, and a brother, Albert Cary.

Norman spent his life vocationally as a dairy farmer, owning Cary Dairy Farm with both his father and son, Steve. While farming was his vocation, his life’s work was to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with all those with whom he came into contact—not in a pushy way, but in one that would draw people to Jesus. He and his wife, Joan, (Mr. and Mrs. C.) were involved in youth ministry at Bedford Bible Church and Heritage Hills Bible Church for the first sixty years of their marriage. Realizing the impact of Christian camp in his own life, they sponsored countless teens and younger students to attend Gull Lake Bible Conference, Camp Hiawatha, Word of Life, Lake Ann, and Camp Barakel. In retirement, he traveled to Central America annually to help build Word of Life camps and support the missionaries there. Along with youth ministry, Norm also served as Sunday School teacher, Sunday School superintendent, and deacon at Bedford and Heritage Hills. In his later years he attended Calvary Baptist Church. He did whatever he could to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Norm was a member of the Farm Bureau and Michigan Milk Producers Association. In his leisure, he enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Friends will be received 4:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed Care. Services to honor Norman’s memory will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, April 21, 2023, at Calvary Baptist Church, 1625 Capital Avenue N.E., Battle Creek, MI. The service will be Live-streamed and may be viewed by visiting facebook.com/calvarybaptistbc   Committal and internment will  be held at Pennfield Hick’s Cemetery.

Gifts in Norman’s memory are suggested to: Gideon’s International, PO Box 14800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800; or Camp Scholarship Fund, c/o Heritage Hills Bible Church, 13015 M-66, Bellevue, MI 49021. Personal messages for Norman’s family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.