Russell Joseph Postema, 72, of Newaygo entered his heavenly home on Thursday, October 9th, 2025. He is survived by his daughter Randi Marie (Brandon) VanBeekom, son Russell William Postema; grandsons Oliver and William VanBeekom; his brothers Michael (Patricia) Postema, Terry (Cindi) Postema, Steven (Shirley) Postema, Miles (Kellie) Postema; his sister Jerrilynn Postema; many nieces, nephews and friends. Russell is proceeded in death by his mother, Myrtle G. Postema; father, Gerald J. Postema; sisters, Gail and DaleAnn; and nephew, Chad Postema.
Russ aka Rusty aka Big Russ, the greasy-thumbed gearhead who could rebuild a carburetor blindfolded, finally ran out of gas at seventy-two after a lifetime of bad decisions and better comebacks. After years of abuse working nights and weekends without any appreciation, his liver finally waved the white flag. He was born November 20, 1952, in Grand Rapids, the 4th child in their family of 8 kids. (We can only imagine what his parents dealt with raising five boys and his sisters.)
Big Russ was a builder since he was a boy – from motors to desks and household furniture to hot rods, dune buggies and more. This would lead him to become a very proficient mechanic, working at a few different shops around Grand Rapids for most of his days. Weekends saw the start of many projects that were rarely completed. He was creative and resourceful, full of big ideas - the king of garage goldmines. Always hauling home more tools, antiques, dune buggies, tractors and more. Every piece of rusted junk came with the same genius plan…Rent ‘em out, flip ‘em, strike it rich! In the end he just ended up with a yard full of scrap metal. You could say he was a collector, of many things. A jack of all trades, but master of none.
Besides hot rods and dune buggies and anything that went fast, he loved animals. We can’t even begin to name all the pets he’s had over the years – dogs, cats, raccoons, pheasants, ferrets, birds, snakes, rabbits, just to name a few. While he mostly consumed cigarettes and beer, his damn cat dined on fresh shrimp and the dog had medium rare steaks.
Russ seemed to always take the hard road at every turn. He had his plat map memorized and the county records department on speed dial. Right or wrong, he always fought for what was his. He had that same reckless passion for the people he loved most in his life. He may not have done things the most conventional way, but he always had the right intentions. Russ had a pain in the ass tough guy exterior, but he was all heart, a big heart. He lived life his way…fast, messy, and impossible to forget.
Keep your eyes on the road. Be Good.
Please join us from 2-4pm at the Newaygo VFW on Saturday, November 29th, 2025, to honor and celebrate the life of Big Russ. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to the Renucci Hospitality House, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or your local pet shelter.
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