Carl Frederick Obiden

ALBANY, Ga. - Our beloved Carl, son, husband, brother, uncle and friend, died unexpectedly at his home in Albany Oct. 20, 2017. He was born to Milo and Katherine (Sharer) Obiden in Marenisco, Mich.

During his high school years, he became an awesome trumpet player and is best remembered, especially by his younger siblings, for his rendition of "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," a song he taught them to play on their own trumpets. After his high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and upon completion of basic training, he was deployed first to Korea and then to Italy. While in Korea, he not only studied the Korean language but volunteered at an orphanage helping Koreans with their English. After his very honorable discharge from the Army he remained in government service at various locations and soon became a foreign service officer for the Department of State from which he retired. During that long and successful career, he traveled and lived all over the world with assignments to various countries in Africa, the Bahamas (where he met his beloved Lizette), China, Jordan, Norway, Portugal, Vietnam, Germany and Washington D.C.

Carl embraced the cultures - the art, music and dance - and particularly, the cuisines of the many countries in which he lived. He was a gourmet cook who, along with his wife, shared these cuisines with their guests. Between he and Lizette a meal at their table was an extraordinary adventure for the palate with the herbs and spices from those faraway places and from his own herb garden.

He was a very kind, loving man who was always willing to help others and let them know how important they were. While he was a world class traveler who lived abroad for most of his adult life - he made many new lifelong relationships with his "Foreign Service Family" and citizens of the countries in which he lived - he never forgot his roots, his family or his closest childhood friends.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Milo and Katherine; and sisters, Mary and Frances. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lizette; brothers, John, Milo and Mathew (Lorna); sisters, Betty, Katherine, Rosalyn and Antonia (Bruce); brother-in-law C.J. Harris (Frances); and many nieces, nephews, friends and his constant canine companion, Sheba.

Rest in peace, dear one. Our hearts ache from your absence in our lives. Love you bunches.

A Mass for Carl will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wakefield, Mich., on Saturday, July 7, at 6 p.m.

Interment will be at the Marenisco Cemetery Monday, July 9, at noon.

Jerald Rocco of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family with arrangements.