Cody R. Stout

Cody R. Stout Age 29 Of Bangor Having accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord at age 15, went home to be with his Lord, October 9, 2022 in Kalamazoo. Cody was born December 4, 1992 in South Bend, the son of Daniel and Laura (Grote) Stout and has lived in the Bangor area the majority of his life. He enjoyed exploring his creative side through drawing and glass etching. More than anything, he loved spending time with his friends and family. Surviving are his grandmother, Darlene Grote of Bangor; parents, Dan and Laura; 5 siblings, Lacey (Rex) Walbrook of Kalamazoo, Jesse (Tara) Stout of Otsego, Anna (Joe) Sonntag of Galesburg, Madeline (Jesse) McDonald of Kalamazoo, Merle Stout of Kalamazoo; many nieces and nephews; best friend and roommate, Joel Pryson of Kalamazoo; and many other family and friends. The family will meet friends 6-8 PM Friday, October 21, 2022 at the Bangor Chapel, D. L. Miller Funeral Home. His funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the Bangor Free Methodist Church. Interment will follow at a later date in Arlington Hill Cemetery. Cody was a blonde-haired, tan-skinned little boy who loved his cowboy boots and toy pistols. As he grew older, he loved his Legos and annoying his little brother. He had a great imagination and a goofy sense of humor that did not fade, even into adulthood. As a teen, he loved riding his bike with his neighborhood friends, joined the wrestling team, and loved his Yu-Gi-Oh cards. All through his childhood, he loved to spend time drawing and was very proud of the art books created. As an adult, Cody was a hard worker in the retail sector. He spent time employed by different stores– Walmart, Menards, the Dollar Tree– and every place he worked for quickly recognized his talents and gave him more responsibility. He was very proud of the work he was able to do for each employer. He was a whiz at numbers and math, and often used his skills to develop better processes or to teach someone else how to do things more efficiently. He was so proud of how fast he could do things and always had a goal to do it better the next time. Cody was a wonderful son. He loved his mother fiercely; she was his safe place and the person he knew loved him regardless of anything. He thought the world of his father and knew he could ask him for help with anything. Cody could be difficult– he was cantankerous at times, but there was always an understanding of love and respect that grounded his relationship with his parents. Theirs was a relationship that truly exhibited unconditional love. Cody was a special brother. He never texted on birthdays– he called. He made sure to stay connected with Merle and Madeline, inviting Merle to do things with him and spending dinners with Madeline. He might have driven them both crazy as kids at times, but as adult siblings, he offered true friendship to each of them. Cody also had a special relationship with his Grandma Darlene. He loved to tease her about spiders and get a rise out of her. In his later years of life, they developed a connection with each other; he knew that she understood a part of him that others didn’t always. She was generous with him and he was always extra gentle with her. Cody was a great friend. Quality time was important to him and he worked hard to spend time with people he loved. He would drive all over Michigan, and even to different states, to be with his friends. In his last few years, he was deeply connected with his roommate, Joel. He lived with Joel on and off, but even when he wasn’t staying with him, he would drive over in the early morning just to have a cup of coffee in the morning with him. He loved Joel’s dog, Coco, and loved to help Coco “get some exercise” by teasing him with a Dorito or some other unhealthy treat. Cody’s creative outlet had moved from drawing to glass-etching by this time, and it brought him so much joy to make etchings for his friends and family. People encouraged him time and time again to try selling things, but he was always too busy working on a gift for someone. He also loved his knife collection, spent way too much money on gas station food, and still liked to say the word “dookie” even as a grown man. We will always miss his funny quirks. Those who knew Cody knew that he could be quick to anger. He had a temper that could flare up suddenly. But if you were privy to his temper, you would also know that he was always, always, always quick to ask for forgiveness. Cody was full of love for the people in his life and he would never leave a situation unresolved. His humility and tenderness made it easy to love him. His friends and family were his cheerleaders, his support system, and truly saw the beauty hiding behind a lot of his emotional pain. Cody’s struggle with his mental health was a long road. It started early in his life and never fully relented. But Cody never gave up. He reached out to people over and over again. He looked for help and resources in numerous ways– the craziest one might have been when he practiced staring at the sun while standing outside barefooted. He never lost hope that he would find joy and purpose and peace one day, even when he was at his lowest points. His family now finds great comfort that he is now experiencing the fullest joy possible in the presence of God. If you struggle with mental health, please reach out to the people around you. It was an honor to know Cody and care for Cody in his dark moments, and the people around you will be blessed to help carry your burden too. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Pine Rest Kalamazoo Clinic at https://www.pinerest.org/foundation/ways-to-give/donate/ . Cody received great care and love from the people there, and it would greatly honor him to help others seek their peace too.

Cody R. Stout

December 4, 1992 - October 9, 2022