September 2, 1943 – November 24, 2015
Born in Pontiac, Randell “Randy” French served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, worked at the GM V-8 Engine Plant in Flint, and belonged to the Masonic Lodge in Ortonville. For a time, he also tended bar at the Interchange and other Detroit gay nightspots.
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 
Randy the One Eyed bartender. Unforgettable. I used to live in the Milwood Apartments behind the Woodward and I would ride my bike to the Eagle where Randy worked part time in the 90s. We would put on a show at the Eagle – he would pour diet coke into a dirty ash tray for me and set it on the floor and tell me it was my dog bowl and I would say yessir and we would do verbal role play in front of the customers. Great times. Randy was the best Eagle Dinner host – quiet, low lights, the model train rolling around above our heads while we watched classics on the TV from Hitchcock to John Waters around the bar eating Ron’s excellent food. I had his number when I moved away and found it in September 2015 and called him. We chatted briefly, he still remembered our bar times and said he had a new cub he was banging but I was still welcome to assume the position. He was like the Clark Gable of dad bears – a combination of his words and mine. He died a month later.
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RANDELL FRENCH Obituary
FRENCH, RANDELL JOSEPH Detroit, formerly of Flint and Ortonville Died November 24, 2015. He was 72. Born September 2, 1943 in Pontiac, Michigan to the late Joseph and Ilene (nee: Maddern) French. He is survived by five brothers and sisters, Gary (Cinda) French, Sandra (Donald) Bowen, Jami (Steve) Allen, Sue (Don) Hill and Sally Swayne; also survived by his cherished Aunt, Louise J. Hutchins along with numerous nieces and nephews. Randell was a veteran of the U.S. Army-Vietnam. He retired from GM V-8 Engine Plant in Flint. He was a life member of the Ortonville Masonic Lodge # 339 F & AM. He worked with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and the Detroit Institute of Arts. A memorial visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Masonic Memorial service at 7:00 p.m. at VILLAGE FUNERAL HOME-ORTONVILLE. Burial with Military Honors will be Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Great Lakes National Cemetery, 4200 Belford Road, Holly, MI. Memorial contributions may be made to Genesee County Humane Society or Lucky Day Animal Rescue in Grand Blanc. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to http://www.CoatsFuneralHome.com
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