Donald Richard Cory

Donald R. “Don” Cory, 94, of Belding passed away Monday morning, January 31, 2022, at Hathaway Hills in Greenville, Michigan where he received loving care from the devoted staff for the last five years of his life, and gracious care from Interim Hospice. Don was born on December 7, 1927, in Belding, the son of John A. and Gracie M. (Bradshaw) Cory. He graduated from Belding High School with the Class of 1945 and later proudly served his country in the US Navy for two years. After his service in the Navy, Don returned to Belding and started working in the construction field.  For over 25 years he built many homes in the Belding area with his right-hand man and nephew, Gordon Burns and others, completed several area church additions, and worked for the Leppink family, building the store in Lakeview and additions to the Stanton and Belding stores, as well as many other building projects.  Don proudly completed the first inground swimming pool in Belding, later built a large subdivision in Belding, and several apartment buildings. In 1970 Don was asked by Merl Connor, the Superintendent of Belding Area Schools to help start the Build-A-Home project, working with high school students to complete a home each year from the ground up. The school board was unable to find a certified teacher for this ground-breaking program and asked Don to manage and teach it, which he did for 20 years.  The Build-A-Home project was a huge success and enabled many young men and later women to learn the building trades, join construction companies, start their own or simply work on their own homes.

Don was blessed with a long life and had many interests besides the building trades.  He was a private pilot and owned his own plane.  He was a huge Belding Redskin and MSU Spartan fan, and he attended many home and away games as far away as Orlando, Pasadena and Lincoln, Nebraska.  He also enjoyed having a small hobby farm south of Belding raising white-faced Hereford’s and baling hay with his life-long best friend, Gordon Leppink.  He was a great lover of pets and had many faithful dogs and cats over the years, several of whom he rescued.  He enjoyed snowmobiling with his son and friends, hunting with his brothers-in law and sisters-in-law, and in later years loved his role as a full-time grandpa.  He looked forward to any activities with his grandchildren and planned many trips for them, especially enjoying the summer trips to Lake Leelanau R.V. Park and winter trips to Arizona, Florida and Walt Disney World.  He was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Belding as a young man and served as a member there for many years. Later, he enjoyed attending Shiloh Community Church where he appreciated his friend, Pastor Ken Harger.

Don is survived by his loving and devoted wife Marilyn (McNaughton) Cory.  They were married on January 15, 1949, and recently celebrated 73 years of marriage.  He is also survived by his children, Steven Cory of Phoenix, Arizona, Nancy (Steven) Cory-Saaf, of Lake Leelanau, Michigan, Leanne (Mike) McEachran, of Mesa, Arizona, his daughter-in-law Debbie Cory Metz of Glendale, Arizona, his grandchildren, Cory Saaf, Morgan (Brian) Saaf-White, Taylor Saaf, Richie McEachran, Genevieve McEachran, and his great grandson, Benjamin White, who Don recently met.  Don is also survived by many nieces, nephews, countless friends and “adopted” grandchildren from Hathaway Hills.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter in infancy, his brothers, Hugh and Guy, his sisters, Greta, Louise, Pearl, Josephine, Myrtle, and Burma, many beloved brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and few special nieces and nephews.

The public is invited to the Celebration of Life service at the farm of Kort and Mary Warner at 7887 Woods Drive, Belding, Michigan, 48809, from 9 :00AM– Noon on Saturday, June 11, 2022.  Private interment with take place at Ashley Cemetery, Belding. The family asks, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Don and Marilyn Cory Building Trades Scholarship Fund. Envelopes will be available at the service and Johnson-Feuerstein funeral home where funeral care has been entrusted. To share a message of condolence or light a candle in memory of Don, please visit the website of the funeral home at www.jffh.com.

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