Lt. Col. Carl J. Redding

Lt. Col. Carl J. Redding, United States Air Force (Retired), age 92, of Gowen, passed away Thursday afternoon, October 23, 2025. The son of Cyril James & Dorothy (Boonstra) Redding, he was born on September 27, 1933 in Grand Rapids.

Soon after graduating from high school, he met his future wife at a dance in Ravenna. Carl then joined the United States Air Force, and while home for Thanksgiving, married Jacqueline Dorothy Kuiper on November 25, 1955 in Angola, Indiana. While in the Air Force, he and Jackie traveled the world, with Air Force stops in Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and India as well as in, Lubbock, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, and Mesa, Arizona.

Carl was a life-long learner and was a squadron leader during Vietnam where he taught new pilots how to fly. He had an aeronautic engineering degree from Laramie, Wyoming and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from Williams Air Force Base in Arizona.

He enjoyed playing his guitar and singing country and western music from before the 1970s and had the knowledge bank of a man with many degrees. After retiring from the Air Force, he sold real estate, worked in sales with a Chevrolet dealer, took a run with politics to try and influence a reduction in property taxes, and was a commercial pilot with Eastern Airlines.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Cyril & Dorothy Redding; his wife of 66 years, Jackqueline Dorothy Redding; his parents-in-law, Elmer & Evelyn Kuiper; a son, Brent Redding; and a brother-in-law, Dale Kuiper.

Surviving are his & Jackie’s son and daughter-in-law, Craig & Darlene Redding; and her five grandchildren, Mark, Melisa, Amanda, Courtland and Camron.

Visitation with the family is from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 10700 Carson City Road (M-57), Greenville, where memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.

To send a message of sympathy to the family, sign Carl’s online guest book, or to share a favorite memory, please visit: www.MichiganCremation.com

Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Greenville, 616-754-5638.