Flint Horton

It is with great sadness that the family of Flint Horton announces his death on Sunday April 12, 2026 at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, MI. Flint was born on October 19, 1958 to Paul and Jeanice (Coss) Horton in Owosso, MI. He was preceded in death by his parents, along with his nephews Justin Horton and Brent Thomas Irons. Flint is survived by his siblings, Connie (William) Wade of Mancelona, MI; Doug (Pam) Horton of St. Charles, MI; Kari (Amber) Horton of Clio, MI; Dallas (Lori) Horton of Cadillac, MI; and Andrea Hahn (Tim Crosby) of Makanda, IL. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, several cousins and many friends.

Flint lived and grew up in the Chesaning area on the family farm. Flint was an avid nature lover, even from an early age. Flint enjoyed nature and all its’ splendor. He had a scientific spirit and was very gifted when it came to plants. He would share stories of his adventures out in the woods and down by the creek on his family farm.

Flint graduated from Chesaning High School where he and his best friend Christopher Nelson took part in a variety of shenanigans throughout their high school years. They went on to college at Central Michigan University. I heard there were many shenanigans during his and Chris’s tenure at CMU! He then ventured out to the Washington and Boston area. Where he worked in Information Technology, even working for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as a contractor for the Super Fund. He worked for a variety of companies, including Prudential Financial in Boston; helping connect and disconnect the companies. He was proud of his work in the ever-changing Information Technology world.

He then met his former partner, Miles Roede and migrated to the San Fransico area, working again in the Information Technology industry. Flint was able to enjoy the climate and beauty of the west coast for several years. He often compared our climate to that of the San Francisco area. Then when George W. Bush was elected, I quote Flint, “The Bottom Fell Out of my Industry and all the companies closed and folded up, he was the grim reaper to my career and industry”!

Flint then migrated to Northern Michigan where he was able to reconnect with his parents before their passing and with his siblings. Flint landed in Cadillac where he stayed with his sister Kari and his brother Dallas and sister-in-law Lori. He then went up to Mancelona where he stayed in the “wilderness” with Connie and Wade. Winter was long and brutal that year. There was lots and lots of snow and cold that winter, as he would tell you. He said that he was cut off from civilization up there.

Eventually, with the help and support of his sister Connie he got a room in Traverse City at The Whiting Hotel in downtown Traverse City. This would cement his bond with downtown Traverse City and the surrounding area. Shortly thereafter, he was accepted into Riverview Terrace, where he got his apartment with his million-dollar view of the Bay! It certainly was, just ask the Blue Angels! He would swear they were trying to land in his apartment up there on the eighth floor!

As Flint settled into his new apartment and town, he went about learning to navigate the area and meeting people. It was by chance that Flint found an ad in the Northern Express for free HIV testing at the Community Health Clinic on Garfield. He tells me (Brian Simerson) that he came in for a test and that’s when I met Flint. In all honesty, I don’t remember that meeting. But he told, “that is when I decided you were my new best friend”! Apparently, I told him about the Risk-To-Resilience program I was starting and that we had a weekly meeting at a local church. He showed up and I introduced him to everyone, who became our group of friends, Dave, Tony, Ken, Will, James, Dillion, Ken, Justin, Jeph and many more! He also volunteered at the HIV Testing Clinic, where he would meet Brooke, Christine and Peggy & John who we all became family.

Flint would become Brian’s top volunteer, assistant, advocate and friend. During the 25 years, he volunteered in numerous compacities. He enjoyed and valued giving back to his community. He volunteered with the Risk-To-Resilience Outreach Program, the Thomas Judd Care Center, the AIDS Walk, the Northern Lites Fun Run, the Traverse Health Clinic, Goodwill, the National Cherry Festival, the Community Garden, and held officer positions on the Tenant Association Board at Riverview Terrace. He even volunteered and was in a play, with two parts at the Old Towne Playhouse. Al Lien was the director and he enjoyed the theater/play very much. He claims he was tricked in auditioning for the play, I like to call it “voluntold”.

Flint had many hobbies, he was into Permaculture with his friends Penny, Levi, Blasé, Barb and many more. He liked to try to find the elusive morel mushroom but truly loved to eat and enjoy the taste of a freshly plucked leak in the woods. He could always be found with several phones, each one having a special “purpose”. He had a sensitive palate and could pretty much tell you what spice were in a dish. He also had an impeccable palate for wine and IPAs. He loved all the different Star Trek franchises. His favorite TV shows were old reruns of the Carol Burnett Show, Bewitched, the Brady Bunch and of course Gilligan’s Island.

Flint would do guerrilla gardening all throughout the downtown area on Front Street. He could feel when plants needed watering. He was constantly trying to water my plants at my house, as I did a very bad job of it! He loved plants, nature and soil. Gardening gave him great pleasure and that was his happy place. The CSA Gardening was one of his favorite things to do and then when they gave out their weekly shares to members, he loved visiting with everyone as they picked up their community share.

Flint loved the outdoors, he cherished his “brothers trips, camping, canoeing, kayaking, rides in the country, wine touring, biking, including e-biking with Dallas and Lori. He recently got his own E-bike and was looking forward to riding all summer. But nothing made him happier than sitting around a campfire! Flint cherished his family reunions in Harrison with his siblings and their families. Flint will be missed by his family, his many friends and the world.

Flint came into this world and did things his way. Not always the way “we” as collective would have liked him to do things necessarily, he did it his way. Flint has left this world, but not before leaving a lasting impact on a great many people. He impacted our community; he always tried to make it a little better for everyone. He made many friends and acquaintances throughout the years, he enjoyed people but had a special fondness for the underdogs of our society. He had a generous heart and even kinder soul. He also had a special knack for pushing people’s buttons, particularly Brian’s buttons!

In honor of Flint, the family will be holding a Memorial Event later this summer down at Medalie Park on Boardman Lake. We will be getting a date and details out as soon as we can. We appreciate all the people who have helped advocate and support Flint throughout the years. He is gone but will never be forgotten. Special thanks to Munson Healthcare, B2 ICU nurses Justine and Ian for their fantastic are of Flint during his days. To Dr Tackett and the entire care team. Thank You to all his caregivers, Susan Cogswell NP his primary care provider, Dr. Kiera DO his cancer specialist, Chandler Williams NP from Palliative Care and all their staff. Thank you to Vaughn at Life Story Funeral Home for guiding us through Flint’s adventure.

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