Robert "Bob" Allen Lange

Robert (Bob) Allan Lange, Sr, of Maybee, MI, passed peacefully at home on April 23, 2026 at the age of 90.

Bob was born on March 11, 1936, to Herman and Edythe Lange. He graduated from Belleville High School in 1954 while working at Ford Motor Company in his senior year. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army where he served for two years. On June 27, 1957 he married JoAnn C. Formella. They had five children and raised them together on their family farm in Maybee – Robert Jr, Donald, Mark, Caroline and Rose Marie.

Bob had a deep love of farming. That love started as a young boy growing up on a farm milking cows by hand and using horses to till the land. After the military, he worked at Willow Run Rubber on the tank line, Drawtite and at Ford Motor Company Woodhaven Stamping Plant as an inspector for many years while also farming. His passion for farming resulted in his decision to leave the workforce in 1980, at the age of 44, and farm full time. In addition to grain and cattle farming, he also performed custom combining for local farmers, tractor restoration, and painting farm equipment. His favorite job on the farm was putting up hay and he did so until a few years ago. He also had a love of restoring and collecting antique tractors – being partial to Farmall. Bob was an avid teacher of herdmanship to his grandchildren of cattle, sheep, chickens and equine as well as teaching them on tractor maintenance and restoration.

He is survived by his five children, fourteen grandchildren – Angela Lange, Elizabeth Zammit, Christie Salenbien, Robert Lange III, Scott Lange, Katie Sweeney, Jonathon Lange, Ryan Lange, Kevin Lange, David Lange, Jenna Heiden, Thomas Simon, Jr, Chelsea Desbrough, and Heidi McGhee, and twenty-five great grandchildren.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Bob’s friend, Patrick Oley for his great care and support.

Martenson’s Funeral Home is handling cremation. At Bob’s request, there will be no services.