Murdered Lansing firefighter to be laid to rest today, Governor orders flags

A memorial service for Rodeman was hosted at Breslin Center on Wednesday, preceding a funeral procession to the funeral home nearly 40 miles away. “Today, let us honor him”.

Rodeman died in Lansing after being hit by a truck as he was collecting donations for the MDA Fill the Boot campaign.

– Family, friends and fellow firefighters will gather Wednesday to say their final goodbyes to 35-year-old Dennis Rodeman.

Jeff Wetzel, assistant chief of the Vermontville Fire Department, where Rodman worked before coming to Lansing, spoke of Rodeman’s sense of humor – he once joked Wetzel had a voice for radio because his face was too ugly, Wetzel said to laughs from the crowd.

Rodeman was married in June and leaves behind a wife, who is pregnant with their first child.

Court records show the suspect, Grant Taylor, may have been angry over traffic delays.

“He was everything we value in America, everything we value in our fire department, everything we value in our families”, Lansing Fire Chief Randy Talifarro said during the service.

“He was one of the most positive people in my department”, Talifarro said. “His life was taken, and that he didn’t deserve”.

“I’m secure in the belief that Dennis lives on”, Garn said.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero had a few words to say about Rodeman as well.