Brandon Large

Brandon Brian Large had a huge heart and an amazing sense of humor. His family and circle of friends all had a deep admiration for his kind spirit and light hearted approach to life.

Brandon's story began in the late fall of 1983, as the first snow began to fall that year in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was born on the 10th of November and given the name Brandon Michael Kelly, and was later adopted on March 30, 1988, becoming Brandon Brian Large. His parents were Theresa Scohy of Kalamazoo, Mark Kelly of Mount Hope, Alabama, and David Large of Cape Coral, Florida.

Brandon had a much different childhood experience than most, but his personality and sense of humor outshined any struggle he had been through. He loved his family and friends, and was passionate about making people happy. He loved for people to be laughing, so he would do almost anything to bring a smile to the face of a person he cared about. As a young boy, he lived in Kalamazoo until his teen years. He then moved to Florida for a few years before returning to Kalamazoo.

Brandon grew into a handsome young gentleman with blond hair and big brown eyes. He was 6'1" and had a smile that could light up a room. Very involved in sports and hunting, he loved to head out into the woods with his bow or his gun, waiting for a big buck. His close friends always called him "B".

Family was important to Brandon, and he dearly loved his little sisters, Taylor Kelly, Nina Large and Bonnie Large. He was an excellent student who excelled in sports, specifically baseball, football, basketball, soccer and golf. His teachers frequently commented on Brandon's intelligence and his willingness to participate in school activities. He started out at Comstock Public Schools, moved to Florida where he graduated, in 2002, from Mariner High School in Cape Coral, FL with a 3.9 GPA. Brandon was a bright young man with a lot of ambition. Outside of school, fishing and hunting were his main priorities.

Brandon had a deep connection with each of his family members. He loved his Aunt Suzy’s cheesy potatoes. She had to make them for him at every holiday and family function. And he had to have the leftovers. Grandma Judy called him "Pooh Bear" until he turned 18. Then he answered "thank you Grandma, what a great relief". He especially enjoyed golfing and spending time with his Grandpa Lou. While living in Florida, Brandon enjoyed competing in golf tournaments with his dad. He also valued the times he was able to work with his dad. Brandon was always finding ways of making his family happy.

As a dedicated and hard working young man, Brandon held jobs at high class restaurants, and once at a sporting goods store. He grew up playing Baseball at Eastwood Little League. After graduating and moving back to Michigan, he helped coach his little cousins when they played at Eastwood. Brandon loved to get involved in helping younger kids find their way through life. He was an incredibly caring individual, communicating his love for others in the form of humor. He seemed to always be joking around, and as soon as Brandon entered a room there was sure to be laughter. He had two very loved dogs, Harley and Tess that he doted on.

Sadly, Brandon died unexpectedly on January 13, 2010. He will be deeply missed by every one of his family and friends. He touched the lives and hearts of everyone he encountered during his short life.

Surviving are his Mother, Theresa Scohy, of Vicksburg, MI; his Father, Mark (Angie) Kelly of Mount Hope, AL; his adopted Father, David (Lori) Large, of Cape Coral, FL; his Sisters, Taylor Kelly of Mount Hope, AL, Nina Large and Bonnie Large, both of Cape Coral, FL; his Uncle Greg (Traci) Scohy of Kalamazoo, MI; his Aunt – Susan (Craig) Flower of Kalamazoo, MI; his Grandfather – Louis (Kay) Scohy of Sturgis, MI; Grandmother – Judith McWatters, of Three Rivers, MI; his Grandfather George & Linda Kelly, of Parchment, MI; his Grandfather Tom Large of FL; Cousins – Danielle, Jacob, Bailey and Grant Scohy, and Tyler, Courtney and Morgan Flower, as well as his dogs- Tess and Harley. Visitation for Brandon will be from 2 – 4 PM and 6 – 8 PM, Wednesday, January 20 at the Portage Free Methodist Church, 1715 W. Centre Ave, Portage. Services will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday January 21 at Portage Free Methodist Church. Cremation will follow. For more information please visit Brandon’s Memory Page at www.lifestorynet.com.