Randal G. East

Randal Gene East “The Cookie Man” 72 of Kalamazoo passed away October 8, 2024 at Bronson Methodist Hospital with his chosen daughter by his side. Randal was born December 21, 1951 in Battle Creek the son of Robert and Lavern (Valkner) East. He worked as a patient care assistant before retiring. In accordance with his wish, cremation will take place and no services are scheduled. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to: https://mi4hfdtn.org/givenow/ Interment will be in Robinson Cemetery, Gobles, MI. Arrangements by Joldersma-Klein Funeral Home. Due to his private and pragmatic nature, this is all he thought needed to be said. But he was loved, admired and respected by so many and all of those whose lives he touched could spend hours talking about how much he meant to them.
Randy was always the first to step in and lend a helping hand, teach a life skill or give unsolicited advice. He fostered community wherever he went and was known in every neighborhood he lived in as “The Cookie Man” because he loved to share his baked goods especially his famous cookies. A true jack of all trades, you could find “Papa Randy” at his sewing machine fixing princess dresses for his little Lexi, singing “King of the Road” better than Roger Miller at karaoke or building an off grid cabin completely from scratch. The world was a better place while Randy was in it and he is greatly missed.