Roger Wayne Larsen, age 72, of Grand Rapids, very unexpectedly fell asleep in death on October 5, 2026, leaving behind a life far bigger than any obituary could adequately capture. Roger’s family was incredibly lucky to call him theirs. And if you were lucky enough to call Roger a friend, you already know just how much he will be missed.
If you knew Roger, chances are you have a Roger story.
He was the unofficial “Mayor of the Neighborhood,” a title earned over a lifetime of knowing what was happening, knowing who needed something, and almost always being willing to help. He was Dad, Papa, brother, uncle, “Uncle Leather,” neighbor, coworker and friend. And while Roger had only one brother by blood, there are countless men who would tell you that Roger was their brother, too.
Roger graduated from Northview High School in 1972 alongside his high school sweetheart, Louann Briggs. Roger and Louann built a beautiful life together, celebrating nearly 53 years of marriage. Remarkably, throughout their entire marriage, they made their home within the same square block in Plainfield Township, a neighborhood that became as much a part of Roger as Roger became a part of it.
Roger was a Certified Mechanic and worked for DTE for 35 years. He had an incredible work ethic, could fix just about anything, and was the person everyone called when something needed to be figured out. And as Roger was known to say, “If it can’t be welded, it can’t be fixed.”
But what made Roger remarkable wasn't simply what he could do. It was what he did for other people.
Roger noticed people. He cared about them. He brought friends to doctor's appointments. He helped neighbors with projects. He went to coffee every morning and would make his way around the restaurant filling everyone's cup. He genuinely wanted to know how you were doing, and chances are, before the conversation was over, Roger had a story to tell you.
And Roger could tell a story.
He was funny and loved making people laugh. His stories were part of who he was, and he had plenty of them. A conversation with Roger could take you just about anywhere, and if the subject turned to cars, there was a very good chance his phone was coming out of his pocket so he could show you pictures of one of his. He loved sharing the things he was excited about with the people around him.
His kindness wasn't something he talked about. It was simply the way he lived.
Roger loved cars, hunting, collecting, creating, fixing things and sharing what he knew. He was quite possibly one of the most organized people you could ever meet. And everywhere Roger went, he seemed to collect another group of friends.
There were his hunting friends, car friends, coffee friends, Texas friends, out-west friends, Florida friends, work friends, Kingdom Hall friends and neighborhood friends. There were his many first, second and third cousins who remained an important part of his life. And knowing Roger, there are almost certainly entire groups of friends his family has unintentionally left off this list, or perhaps didn't even know existed. Roger simply knew people everywhere.
More importantly, people knew Roger, and they loved him.
Of all the roles Roger had, however, none meant more to him than his family.
His love for Louann, his daughter Keri, son-in-law Brian, and his three grandchildren was unmistakable. He proudly got to know Keri and Brian's friends and loved them as an extension of his own family. And to William, Spencer and Scottlyn, he wasn't simply their grandfather. He was Papa, and he was the very best kind.
Recently, Roger was excitedly teaching his grandson to weld. In classic Roger fashion, he wanted to teach him the most difficult method first, because then everything else would seem easy. It was a small moment that captured so much of who Roger was: a teacher, a maker, a grandfather who wanted to pass along what he knew, and someone who believed the people he loved were capable of hard things.
Roger will be lovingly remembered by his high school sweetheart and wife, Louann (Briggs) Larsen; daughter, Keri and Brian Kujala; grandchildren, William, Spencer and Scottlyn Kujala; brother, Rick and Jeannie Larsen; foster brother, Richard Donkervoort; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Tom and Joan Briggs, LuAnn Briggs, Sandy and Ken Wyrick, Heidi and Stu Davey, and David and Dawn Briggs; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; an extraordinary extended family; and more friends than could possibly be named.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Nellie (Fagundo) Larsen; brother-in-law, William Briggs; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Wendell and Donna (Wise) Briggs.
It is difficult to comprehend the space Roger leaves behind because he occupied such a large place in so many people's lives. There are people mourning him whom his family may never even know he touched.
An open house celebrating Roger's life will be held from 2:00–5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Casino Club of Grand Rapids, 3260 Salerno Drive NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, those wishing to honor Roger may make a memorial contribution to the Plainfield Grand Rogue Historical Society. Or, perhaps even more fittingly, honor Roger by intentionally doing something kind for someone else. Help a neighbor. Fix something for a friend. Give someone a ride. Fill someone's coffee cup. Notice when somebody needs a hand—and give it without expecting anything in return.
Roger's family was incredibly lucky to call him theirs. And if you were lucky enough to call Roger a friend, you already know just how much he will be missed.