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Brian Lee Petoskey, age 61, passed away on February 15th at his home in Three Rivers among family.
Brian was born as the son of Brazil Petoskey and Barbra (Sallows) Petoskey on March 24th,1962. Five years later, Brian gained two older “sisters” when cousins Sharon (Gillespie) Wilkins and Rosie (Gillespie) Ebbinghaus, came to live with the family. They remained dear to Brian his whole life. Dawn (Petoskey) Gest made him a big brother when he was 6.
Brian attended Portage Schools until the family moved to St. Joseph, Michigan. Brian attended high school there and excelled in athletics, namely football and wrestling. After graduating high school in 1981, he went on to attend Miami of Ohio University, where he continued his academic pursuits and played division 1 football. Brian also attended Western Michigan University and Glen Oaks Community College, where he met his wife Regina (Carta) Petoskey. Regina and Brian married on May 14th, 1988. They first resided in Three Rivers, and then settled in Centreville for almost 25 years. Brian and Regina co-owned and operated West Michigan Carpet Brokers in Mattawan. Brian was known for his friendly business demeanor, making great friends with customers and co-workers alike.
When not engaged in business, Brian spent his time managing Centreville Rocket Football, serving as a coach for various youth programs, and being a proud member of the Centreville School Board. His other pursuits included home renovations, becoming a certified commercial diver, and traveling.
Regina and Brian grew their family with two sons, Nathan (1994) and Eric Petoskey (1997), who now reside in Hailey, Idaho and Columbus Mississippi, respectively. Nathan married Cassy (Seager) Petoskey and works in the outdoor industry. Eric is now an Instructor Pilot in the United States Air Force. Brian was exceedingly proud of his children, particularly their courage to follow their dreams and reach their goals.
Late in Life, Brian worked for IAC in Mendon, before retiring in 2015. Though limited by the progression of Parkinson’s disease, he still enjoyed chatting with friends and family, cooking, and following sports. He will be remembered by his loved ones for his motivational ability, strong sense of right and wrong, unique sense of humor, and dedication to hard work.
He was preceded in death by his parents Brazil and Barbara. He is survived by Regina, Nathan, Eric, Dawn, Jordan, Kayla, Sharon, and Rosie. Along with many others who will miss him dearly.
Visitation will be held for Brian on Saturday, February 24, 2024 from 2 until 4pm with a Celebration of Life beginning at 4pm with Rev. Clint Zehr officiating at the Eickhoff Funeral Home. It is suggested that memorials and donations in Brian’s name be made out to Wings of Hope Hospice. Condolences and memories may be expressed to the family at eickhofffuneralhome.com
