Richard John French passed away peacefully in Whitehall, Michigan, on February 11, 2026. He was 69 years old.

He was born in Aurora, Colorado, on June 7, 1956, at Fitzsimons Army Hospital. John, as he was known, was the firstborn son of Richard (“Dick”) French and Suzanne French. Shortly after his birth, the family returned to Michigan, settling in Coldwater, where John completed sixth grade. The family later moved to Lake Odessa, where John graduated from Lakewood High School, as class President, in 1974.

John began working at the age of 16 and never stopped. Over the years he held positions as a lifeguard at Jordan Lake, and worked at Carls Drive-In, Williams Department Store, Lake Odessa Canning Company, Hastings Manufacturing, Shepard Shoes, J-Ad Graphics, Hastings Press, Seven Eleven, and Preferred Industrial Packaging. His strong work ethic was evident throughout his life.

He attended Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, and Kendall School of Art before earning his Bachelor of Science and later his MBA with a 4.0 GPA from the University of Phoenix.

John devoted his professional life to public administration. He served as Village Manager of Lake Odessa and later as City Manager of Montague. He deeply loved his work and was especially fond of the Montague community, where he spent his retirement years.

He was a loyal fan of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, and the Michigan State Spartans.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Suzanne French, and his younger brother, Steve. He is survived by his brother Peter and sister-in-law Lori of Douglas, Michigan.

He was loved by many and will be sorely missed.

A private memorial gathering is being planned near his birthday in June. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the White Lake Senior Center in Whitehall, Michigan.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, White Lake Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com