Randy Poulson

Randy Poulson was a kindhearted, generous man, a man who loved nothing more than giving to the people around him. Randy was a man who enjoyed the simple things in life; driving in his car, a good cup of coffee with friends, and seeing the joy he could bring others simply by helping them. That is what Randy taught us, that you can get so much out of life just by giving. Randys story began on a warm summer day in 1953, in the beautiful shoreline city of Grand Haven, Michigan. Those were such turbulent times in this country, as America battled the Korean War and the Cold War, as racial tensions mounted here at home. Yet amid those troubling times, Quinton and Beverly (Schultz) Poulson found reason to celebrate, with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Randy. Randy was joined by his sisters Cynthia and Michelle and his brother James in his familys Muskegon home. Randy faced many challenges growing up, as he was considered disabled from birth, yet he was always determined and worked hard to succeed. Randy attended Muskegon Public Schools as a boy, and displayed a talent and a fondness for music, too. He learned to play the saxophone, and by the time he attended Muskegon High School, he had become a talented enough sax player to be a part of the Big Reds marching band. Randy received another big milestone while in high school, when he got his drivers license. He loved to drive, and never missed a chance to take the wheel around town, forming a lifelong love for the road. After high school, Randy worked a few different places, before finding just the right fit for him. He began delivering pizzas for the famous Mr. Scribs Pizza in Muskegon, which he loved so much. Randy was a great employee, with a tremendous work ethic, and worked at Mr. Scribs for more than 20 years. He loved the job for the chance to drive, and the chance to meet people. Everyone was always happy to see Randy at their door! More than anything, Randy loved to make the people around him happy, and enjoyed giving back. He volunteered for many years at Hackley Hospital, working as a parking lot driver, shuttling people back and forth from the hospital to their cars. He was also very active in the Forgotten Man Ministry, taking the Lords Word to men in prisons. Randy was such a beloved, sweet person, and he had a good group of friends he met with regularly for some coffee at his favorite beanery, Mr. Quicks Coffee Clutch. Randy faced another challenge later in life, when he was sadly diagnosed with cancer. The cancer onset took hold of him before he could make a decision on how to proceed, and he sadly died on Monday, September 10, 2007, at the age of 54. Randy was a wonderful man, such a kindhearted, generous man, who always gave back to the people around him. He loved the simple things in life, from a long drive to a cup of coffee, to simply bringing a smile to someones face. He was good at making us smile, at warming our heart with the kindness of his, just as his memory does today. He will be greatly missed. Randy is survived by his two sisters, Cynthia (Paul) VandenBosch of Muskegon & Michelle (Edward) Tennison; a brother, James M. Poulson. He was preceded in death by his parents. A private service was held in his honor.