Obit – Mr. Steve (Red) Courington
A highly decorated Iraq / Kuwait War Veteran, Mr. Steve (Red) Courington of the Riddleton community, died peacefully with his wife and daughter at his bedside at 6:44 p.m. Tuesday evening, at his Rome Road farm home, and was pronounced deceased at 8:15 p.m. by Caris Healthcare of Cookeville, who had been assisting the family with his care. Mr. Courington died on September 13, 2022, one day following his 68th birthday.
Mr. Courington was discovered with a mass in his abdomen in November of 2021 and was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in January of 2022.
Mr. Courington was at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Bro. Ron Ralph, at Mr. Courington’s beloved Cornerstone Baptist Church in the Tanglewood community on Friday afternoon, September 16th at 3 p.m.
Mr. Courington was transported to Adrian, Michigan for funeral services on Thursday, September 22nd, which will be conducted from the Chapel of the Anderson-Marry Funeral Home in Adrian Township.
Visitation will be held at the Anderson-Marry on Wednesday afternoon, September 21st, from 2p.m. to 4 p.m. and again on Wednesday evening from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Graveside services and interment will be on Friday, September 23rd, at the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Mr. Courington was the second of five children, a daughter and four sons, born to the late Olen Edward Courington, who died at the age of 79 on June 25, 2008, and Lois Mae Pope Courington, who died at the age of 79 on August 20, 2011, and was born Steven Jerry Courington in Adrian Township in Lenawee County, Michigan on September 12, 1954.
Mr. Courington was a 1973 graduate of Adrian High School and was a graduate of Sienna Heights University with a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice.
In Adrian Township, Michigan on July 1, 2008 he was united in marriage to Adrian native, the former Susan Kay Turczin.
Mr. Courington was inducted into the Michigan Army National Guard in Jackson, Michigan and was honorably discharged at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin with the rank of Staff Sergeant on September 3, 2007 with total years of service of twenty one years, eight months and twenty days.
For his meritorious service he received twenty three medals, commendations and awards: Army Achievement Medals (2) Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medals (2). National Defense Service Medal (3), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal for Weapons of Mass Destruction Device, Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Active Duty Award in Support of Iraqi Freedom, Award for serving in a Designated Imminent Danger Area, Combat Action Badge, Army Lapel Button and Driver Badge, Mechanic Badge, Overseas Service Ribbon (3).
Including his military service, he had a total of thirty six years of service at the Maurice- Spear Juvenile Center where he retired with the position of Superintendent of Employees in June of 2009.
The Courington’s, on February 7, 2015, relocated from Cambridge Township, Michigan to Smith County to be near his daughter and her family.
He and his wife placed their membership with the Cornerstone Baptist Church in 2015.
Surviving, in addition to his wife, Sue, of just fourteen years, is his daughter, Amanda Martinez and husband, Roy, of the Westside community of Macon County; son, Jeremiah Courington and wife, Melinda, of Onsted, Michigan; two step-children, Lewis Dickerson and wife, Otreace, of Adrian, Michigan, Lance Dickerson and wife, Jane, of Clayton, Michigan; sister, Julie Warren and husband, Milo, of Adrian, Michigan; three brothers, Edward Courington and wife, Vicki, Larry Courington and wife, Mary Ann, Lynn Courington and wife, Robbin, all of Adrian, Michigan; ten grandchildren.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
