Eldon Irwin Avery

Eldon Irwin Avery, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Livonia, Michigan on June 7 at the age of 95. Lynda was by his side. Fulfilling his fervent wish, he spent his final moments in the home he loved and cherished for 65 years.

He was preceded in death by his precious wife, Carol, and his dear son, Ronald. He is survived by his loving daughter, Lynda; cherished grandchildren, Aubrey, Amy (Brandon), Sierra (Carson), Jacob; and adored great-grandchildren, Jackson and Zoey. He will be missed as well by his son-in-law, Dave Franklin (Vickie) and many nieces and nephews, who lovingly knew him as “Unc”.

Eldon’s parents, Robert Avery and Ida Florence Inkpen Avery, along with their six children, emigrated from their home in Burin Bay, Newfoundland, Canada in 1924. They became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1927. Their seventh child, Eldon, was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1929. Tragically, his father was killed in an industrial accident when Eldon was six years old.

As he grew up in Detroit, Eldon flourished in school and graduated from Redford High School in 1947, then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Wayne State University.

PFC Avery served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Würzburg, Germany which operated as a support base for units in the field. Among other duties, Eldon worked as a supply clerk for inventory control of trucks, guns, and ammunition.

Accomplished, kind, and considerate, with a healthy dose of playfulness and troublemaking tendencies, Eldon enjoyed many friendships. One fateful night, Eldon’s friend Jim invited him to a double date. Jim had recently met a lovely young woman named Marion Becker, and Marion just happened to have a sister, Carol. Before long, that double date led to a double wedding. Eldon and Carol were married in 1957, and the rest is history.

Eldon secured a job with Detroit Diesel Allison Division of the General Motors Corporation where he worked for 34 years, becoming a Senior Marketing Engineer. For the 25 years following his retirement from GM, Eldon continued to put his engineering skills to work (part-time) at Harbormaster Marine, Inc. Not only was this work perfect for Eldon because of the marine engine focus, but mostly because his grandson, Jacob, worked there on occasion during his college years. Eldon and Jacob (now also an engineer) were coworkers! And boy, was Eldon proud!

As a father and grandfather, Eldon deeply treasured the many hours he spent in his meticulous, well-equipped workshop teaching his children and grandchildren to design and build cool, fun, and useful gadgets. This passion for building and fixing things was rivaled by his love of the water. He found much joy in sailing - some of his happiest hours were those spent with the wind filling the sails of his boat “Dream Weaver” as she chased that elusive place where the water meets the sky.

Most certainly, Eldon will be remembered for for many wonderful things, including his sharp mind, and unique brand of humor. For example, Lynda and Ron became known as the kids whose dad lit candles on their birthday cakes in the binary system format. But his deep, unwavering love for his family superseded all else. Lynda says that her dad never left his house, nor returned to his house, without giving Carol a kiss. His legacy of ingenuity, kindness, and integrity will continue to inspire those who knew and loved him.

A small graveside service with military honors will be held for his immediate family to celebrate his life and service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to American Diabetes Association at https://diabetes.org/