Russell D. Densmore

He was born as he would say 9th of June 1947 although he would say 47. Russell joined the Army in September of 1965 where he fought in the Vietnam War, drove a truck in Germany for a General that never slept, and repaired medical equipment. In his words, when the wounded came in everyone was a doctor. Russell was honorably discharged in September 1970.

Russell then started at General Motors in January of 1971 where he worked and made many lifelong friends for the next 35 years of his life until September 2006.

Russell attended Mount Hope Church where he loved serving as an usher and assisting others for many years.

Russell could repair or build just about anything from tinkering with cars. For example, welding the sheet metal on floorboards so his kids feet would not fall through the floor in his “old rattle trap”; putting seatbelts on wheel wells for his kids to sit on in the back of an old mail truck; to building shelves that his daughter needed; and fixing cars or rescuing his son when his van broke down on the way to Missouri then drove them home in an ice storm. Russell was always there for his kids even if it was just over the phone, and nothing brought him more joy than when he was picking on his grandkids.

Russell was survived by his son Paul Densmore and his kids Michael, Joshua and Angel. His daughter Jean (David) Schaberg and her kids Gabriel and Nikolas Sanders, Rebekah and Jacob Hopkins. Step grandkids Murphy, Thomas and Hannah Schaberg as well as bonus grandchildren Autumn (Josh Cole), John III, David and Elijah Hopkins.

Russell was predeceased by his Father Russell R Densmore on 6/26/1996, mother in 1984, step mother Elsie Margaret Mielke 2002, granddaughter Hannah Jean Densmore 10/8/2011 and James “Jim” Patrick Schaberg 7/29/2023 as well as his beloved niece “Rocky”.

A memorial service for Russell will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 11:00am with a visitation one hour prior at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 900 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing, MI 48912.