Carl Donald Dingwell

Carl Donald Dingwell of Grand Ledge passed away on May 16, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer and not in a fiery car crash in a Mustang while listening to AC/DC’s Highway to Hell as he predicted on numerous occasions to anyone who would listen to his wild speculations. He was born June 19, 1952, in Lansing to the late Donald Edward and Juanita Gail (Lane) Dingwell at the St. Lawrence hospital where his mother was employed as a registered nurse. Carl did not live an average life. He traveled where he wanted to travel, learned what he wanted to learn, fixed what he wanted to fix, loved who he wanted to love, and a great many of us loved him back. Carl graduated from Charlotte High School and went on to serve in the United States Army during Vietnam. He lived in Tucson, Arizona for a brief period in his youth before returning to Southeast Asia where he continued to grow his wicker repair and furniture design career in the Philippines and Indonesia. Carl was regarded as a skilled craftsman, entrepreneur, manufacturing boss, home builder, creative jewelry maker, adequate dart thrower, reluctant ping pong player, instigator of river trips, canoe captain to his delicate flower, story-teller, willing and eager teacher, veteran for peace, defender of the weak and poor, trombone/harmonica/mandolin/guitar-playing rock-star and crooner, jokester, advisor, mentor, husband, father, brother, papa, and friend to all. He will be missed by the oh-so very many lives that he touched over the years. He is survived by his loving wife of over thirty-six years, Cielo; children, Sheila (Dingwell) May and Donald “Donny” Dingwell; grandchildren, Clementine and Salem Dingwell; siblings, Lee Dingwell, Don Dingwell, Gale (Hyon) Dingwell and Sue Palmer along with numerous nieces and nephews. Carl was preceded in death by his son, Harold Perez Fernando; siblings, Mary Dingwell, Edward Dingwell, and Andrea (Nan) Waller. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Holihan-Atkin-Barclay Funeral Home, Grand Ledge. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM until the time of the service at 6:00 PM. The funeral will be webcast so you may watch it from any computer, smartphone, or mobile device that has internet access. Go to www.holihanatkin.com, click on Carl’s tribute, then click on Photos and Videos from your computer (or Media from your smart phone). Memorial contributions in Carl’s name may be sent to Post Oak Academy at 2320 Post Oak Lane, Lansing, MI. 48912 to support their efforts to honor Carl’s late son and beloved teacher, Harold Perez Fernando, at the school.

Carl Donald Dingwell

June 19, 1952 - May 16, 2023