Courier-Leader photos/Paul Garrod
LAWRENCE – On March 3, Van Buren County Road Commission employee, René Rangel, Jr. was struck and killed by a vehicle while providing traffic control for our agency. “We lost an amazing man that day,” according to a press release from the road commission.
The road commission closed on Monday, March 13, to honor Rangel and attend his funeral.
The road commission was assisted by the surrounding county road commissions of Allegan, Berrien, Kalamazoo, and Cass, together with the MDOT, to handle all emergency calls from Central Dispatch on behalf of the road commission during the time of closure. The road commission re-opened Tuesday, March 14, at 7 a.m.
At the request of the Rangel family, the funeral and memorial celebration of life was not open to the public or news media.
“The Board of County Road Commissioners and Road Commission staff sincerely thanks all of the road agencies, police, fire and EMS, contractors and businesses, and the many members of the community who have reached out to offer their support to René’s family and the Van Buren County Road Commission during this difficult time”, said Bret Witkowski, managing director of the Van Buren County Road Commission.
A procession was held Monday, March 13, for the public to view along the route in advance of the funeral. It left the Stark/Newell Funeral Chapel, Decatur, at 10:15 a.m., then traveled along East Delaware Street (M-51) within the Village of Decatur. It continued on M-51 South/West to County Road 215, then turned north on CR 215 to CR 352. It then turned east on CR 352 and proceeded into the Village of Decatur past the Decatur VFW, then continued to East Edgar Bergen Boulevard (truck route) and returned to M-51.
In tribute to Rangel, Jr., the Board of County Road Commissioners passed a resolution at the March 9, regular meeting stating, in part, “The Board of County Road Commissioners of Van Buren County is deeply saddened and mourns the loss of their fellow employee, René Rangel, Jr. He was a valued and respected staff member at the Road Commission where he built amazing friendships. His positive attitude, fun-loving style, and dedicated work ethic were contagious. The Board expresses its profound sorrow and extends its sincere condolences to René’s partner, Stacey Hollenbeck, and their families.”