Hoyt Carriker

Hoyt H. Carriker, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, died June 3, 2021 near Bellaire, Michigan while working on his beloved forest, a 40 acre parcel he had diligently developed as prime deer habitat. He was 69.

Mr. Carriker was an electrical engineer with an uncanny ability to build, repair and fix almost anything. He grew up spending summers in Pine Harbor on Intermediate Lake among family and friends. He loved boating, fishing, hunting, flying RC model aircraft as a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and photography, among other pursuits.

Mr. Carriker was born on Jan. 11, 1952 at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, when his father was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base. He moved with his family to Kansas, Alabama, Ohio, Alaska, Indiana and finally again to Kansas, where he attended Baldwin High School in Baldwin City. There he played football for the Bulldogs, was president of the student body, and graduated in 1969.

Mr. Carriker attended Baker University before joining the U.S. Navy in 1971, where he was assigned to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico as a P-2V plane captain launching target drones. After leaving the Navy, he earned his private pilot's license and enrolled in Lake Superior State College, graduating in 1982. This is where he met his wife, Maggie. After a short time with McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Carriker moved to Grand Rapids, MI and Lear Siegler Electronics, where he was a product quality engineer. He retired as a lead engineer from General Electric Aviation in 2014, enabling him to happily spend more of his time at the family cabin on Intermediate Lake, pursuing and perfecting his many hobbies, surrounded by lifelong friends and neighbors.

Mr. Carriker loved to hunt and fish with his family, build and fly radio-controlled model airplanes, as well as combine and test his inventive skills, such as the time he flew his radio-controlled airplane from the back of a ski boat on a 5-mile "cross-country" flight.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Maggie D. Carriker of Grand Rapids; a daughter, Jessica Brinks of Nashville, Tennessee; a son, Michael D. Carriker of Grand Rapids; two sisters, Sara Hunt of Whidbey Island, Washington, and Kathryn Campbell, of Sisters, Oregon; and a brother, Michael H. Carriker, of Everett, Washington. He was predeceased by his parents, Janet and Mike Carriker of Baldwin City, Kansas; and a sister, Susan M. Carriker of Bellaire, Michigan.

The family will have a memorial picnic at the Intermediate Lake cabin on Saturday, July 3, .from 12-3pm.  Memorial donations can be directed to the Baldwin Education Foundation, PO Box 67, Baldwin City, KS 66006 to support teaching grant requests for the Baldwin City High School.

Arrangements are being handled by the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.