Charles Douglas Mackey

“Charlie” Mackey, 70 a long time resident of Portage, MI died Friday afternoon May 22, 2020 at his home from an accident. “Charlie” was born the son of George B. and Marie (Pierce) Mackey on January 13, 1950 in Kalamazoo. His first school was Woodward in Kalamazoo and he moved to Portage in 1958. He was enamored with Little League Baseball and played it with all his heart and soul along with his brothers. Graduating Portage Central in 1968, where already his art talent had surfaced by having cartoons published, showing where he was headed. He enrolled at KVCC for a semester as he was going in the United States Air Force during the Viet Nam era and he served for 4 years as a loadmaster often going into Viet Nam from Guam. While in Guam he also attended classes at the University to get some ‘basics’ behind him. After the service he married Janeen Bongers and they had a daughter, Jaime and later divorced. He entered Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids. After graduation he took an artist position with the Mercury News, newspaper in Newport, VA. Later returning to Kalamazoo with Eddy Graphic Design then, the Kalamazoo Gazette for several years. Then he tackled High School students at Kalamazoo Central High School as an assistant for the program, Education for Success, as they bring in people who have already been in the business world. The last few years he had a few health issues, but he surely did love those Chicago Cubs and he kept a full size pic of Derek Jeter. He could tell you much about baseball in general. He was a great movie fan also and truly loved Judy Garland. Not just a fan but more like a historian of movies. Talk about crossword puzzles, that was another lark that consumed him. Surviving are his mother, Marie, a brother Arnold Dean Mackey; daughter, Jaime (Ken) Mills; grandchildren, Fisher, Aylen and Ezekial Mills all of Pinedale WY; many cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, George in 2005; brother, George Barrett Mackey in 2018; sister, Nena Dresser in 2019. Interment will be in Ft. Custer National Cemetery. A private family service will be held at Redmond Funeral Home, Kalamazoo.