SAGINAW, MI — They said his voice could heal a broken heart.

Carl Otis Mosley Everett’s smooth tenor was associated with church services, marriages, family reunions and gospel concerts across the nation, but for people such as Terra Riley, it was Everett’s role as a funeral singer that made his voice sacred to the community.

“Everybody speaks music, and with his gift, he could help begin the healing process for you,” said Riley, whose mother’s funeral featured Everett as its singer. “A lot of people might walk away from a funeral not remembering what the preacher said, but they remembered Carl’s voice. God gave him that gift for us.”

Soon it will be Everett’s loved ones who are comforted by the melodies of others. Everett, 71, of Saginaw, died Monday, Oct. 6, after battling an illness f

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