In loving memory of Russell Platte - Obituary Baldwin Brothers

Obituary

Russell Lewis Platte

Russell Lewis Platte, age 69, of Clearwater Florida, passed away on August 10th, 2025 succumbing to cancer that went undiagnosed for months. He was preceded in death by Carl and Hildagard Platte, and survived by siblings Bruce Platte, Brian Platte, and Wesley and Brenda Luckhardt.

Russell grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he resided until retirement and moved to Clearwater, Florida. He attended Washtenaw Community College with an interest in Videography and IT. He worked as a security guard before settling into management with Kroger and explored music and videography on the side. While he never married or had children, he was a romantic at heart, and shared generously with his nieces and nephews.

Russell’s interests included reading the newspaper and bible, playing various instruments, gardening, swimming, and enjoying live music and sports. He was a good cook, great listener, and would often engage in friendly debates where no topic was off the table. Russell joined his family on vacations from Alaska to Ireland and maintained friendships from Michigan, California to Florida. He was the type of guy that would give you his last quarter or the shirt off his back if it helped you in some way.

He was an avid attender of Wheatland Music festival in Michigan. He took pleasure in tinkering with the keyboard, symbols and chimes. He also read the sports pages religiously – especially baseball statistics – and enjoyed watching all sporting events and games. He enjoyed swimming to keep fit. He traveled as far as Ireland and Alaska, with other major trips including Canada and California.

If you knew Russell, you would understand his strong sense of spirituality and belief in Jesus Christ through his acts of kindness. He always served others above himself and provided in-home care for his mother for seven years until her end of life. Hildagard Platte preceded him in death by only three months.

He was generous in his love (even calling acquaintances “Love”) his time, and laughter. A kind of laugh that could range from a giggle to a deep belly laugh and was uniquely him. Russell always had time for a phone call or porch chat sharing his latest and greatest idea for an invention or listening intently and reflecting along with you. Others would describe him as considerate, creative, and caring. Russell was humble and never materialistic, agreeable and well mannered. He would send you poetry in your Christmas cards or photos of the sunsets, and ponder ways to make the world a better place.

Russell’s loss will be felt by all of those who interacted with him and those who may not have even known him well; he just made that great of an impression and was so easy to talk to. Those especially close to him include: Gloria Pacella of Oakland, California and Erik Anderson of Ann Arbor, MI along with other countless friends and neighbors in Clearwater and Scio farms, Ann Arbor. He has gone to rest with his Heavenly Father. Further details of his Celebration of Life will be forthcoming.