Obituary of George Flenorl, Sr.

George Flenorl was born in Duncan, Mississippi on September 28, 1934, to Ernest David Flenorl Sr. and Ophelia Tucker. He went to be with the Lord at the age of 87, on January 8, 2022, at The Laurels of Bedford nursing home in Battle Creek, Michigan. George was raised in Duncan, but was forced to leave Mississippi by his grandmother, Reola Grant, when he was a young teenager due to racial tensions in the south. Following orders from his grandmother, George set out to move to the North and commuted to Chicago and eventually relocated to Battle Creek, MI where he settled. Georges’ first union was with Bertha Crape of Battle Creek. They married twice; once in 1957 and again in 1963. Bertha has preceded him in death. A few years later while working as a custodian at the Battle Creek VA Hospital in Battle Creek, he met Vicki Sanders of Albion, MI. In 1976, they married until her passing in May 2020. George made his true living working for Albion Malleable Iron Company which later became Hayes Industries (Albion) through a merger in 1967. He worked as a Machine Operator in the foundry department for 34yrs until retiring in 1998. He enjoyed jazz music, working on HIS cars, and “running down the numbers” from the morning paper. This was his favorite hobby. He enjoyed cooking, eating soul food and foods of an acquired taste such as: hog head cheese, sauce meat, speckled butter beans with plenty of broth, hot water cornbread, and marinated beer BBQ ribs to name a few. George was a well-known figure in the community and seemed to have made a name for himself. He could drive through any neighborhood and people would raise a hand or call out his name to greet him. He was direct, outspoken, and unreserved in character. He cared about his family and held the name Flenorl in high regard. Preceding him in death: parents, Ernest David Flenorl, Sr and Ophelia Tucker; sister, Bonnie Flenorl of Chicago, IL; sons, Ernest David Hollis-Flenorl of Battle Creek, MI and Prophet Brown of Duncan, Mississippi; daughter, Gloria (Scott) Smith of Casa Grande, AZ. George leaves to cherish in his memory are: brothers, Earnest David Flenorl Jr, Burl Flenorl and Edward Flenorl all of Chicago, IL; sisters, Mildred Booth, Coralette Flenorl, Zolottie Bowling, Misty Booth all of Chicago, IL; sons, Paul (Naomi) Garth of San Diego, CA, Larry Street of Chicago, IL, George “Terry” (Joan) Hollis of Clermont, FL, Dirail Flenorl of Freeport, IL, Robert (Cynthia) Crape-Hollis of Battle Creek, MI, George Lewis-Flenorl of Battle Creek, MI, Gregory Lewis-Flenorl of Concord, NC; daughters, Tammi Hollis-Harrell of Battle Creek, MI, Princess Lewis-Flenorl of Charlotte, NC. He leaves 24 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Through his latter retirement years, George attended Second Baptist Church and later accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at Christian Life Center (now Stones Church) in Kalamazoo, MI.