John Detlor

John Detlor, 83, of Howell, MI, passed away on February 27, 2023 after a multiyear battle with Parkinson’s disease.

John was born on February 28, 1939 to William and Helen Detlor in Detroit.  After graduating from Catholic Central High School, John served as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier for several years while taking classes at the University of Detroit Mercy.  John enlisted in the Army and served as a finance and accounting specialist before being honorably discharged in 1965.  He pursued business studies at the University of South Carolina before being lured into the private sector.  John ultimately established Custom Data Systems, his own accounting services firm, which was reliant on punch card data processing before magnetic tape data storage systems became more prevalent in the 1970s.  John remained in the commercial and public accounting sector for the entirety of his career.

In 1968, he met Beverly Floyd on a date orchestrated by his sister Mary, who bowled with Beverly in an Allen Park, MI league.  Strikes and spares abounded and a wedding was had in 1969.  Sons David and Mark followed.

Following retirement in 2007, John appreciated the comparative solitude of northern Michigan, enjoyed fellowship with friends and neighbors, and relished the pursuits of his family, including the hauling of dirt and care of flowers under the direction of his master gardener wife.  He will be remembered as a kind and gentle man with a profound dedication to his family.

John was predeceased by his parents and sister, Mary.  John is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Beverly; his sons David (Jonelle) and Mark (Sara); and grandsons Noah and Drew. 

Services will be held on Friday, March 10 at Howell First United Methodist Church, 1230 Bower Street, Howell, MI 48843.  A visitation hour will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by a service at 11:00 AM, with a luncheon to follow onsite.  For those that wish, a committal service with military funeral honors will be conducted at 2:30 PM at the Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Road, Holly, MI 48442.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested for the Hartland Senior Activity Center (https://www.hartlandseniorcenter.org/), a local organization that provides free medical equipment to families in need, and the Wounded Warrior Project (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/).

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