Randall Lee Peat

Randall Lee Peat — devoted husband, father, grandfather, veteran, entrepreneur, and community servant — passed away peacefully on February 9, 2026, at the age of 78, with his loving wife, Madelynn, by his side.

Randy was presently employed with Van Buren County as County Commissioner, where he was first elected in 2018. He served as Chairman of the Board for the past several years, streamlining processes and building many new initiatives.

Randy was born in 1948 in Chicago, Illinois to Kenneth Peat and Frances (Lambert) Peat. At the age of four, his family moved to Southwest Michigan, settling in Paw Paw, where he built the strong foundation that would define his life.

After graduating with his much loved Paw Paw High School Class of 1965, he attended WMU for a time then worked for a year before enlisting in the United States Navy where he went through S.E.R.E. (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training (normally reserved for Pilots and Special Forces), before being deployed to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. There, he served as a Head Gunner’s Mate on an armored troop carrier, ATC, where he and 6 other men transported Army personnel to their missions. Together, they saw over 50 combat firefights. For a year, they lived on the ATC, cooked with, and showered in the water where agent orange was regularly sprayed, an experience that would affect him later in life.

Kindness and tenacity were the hallmarks of Randy’s life. He fought not only for his country, but for the people around him — for his community, his Manatron employees and customers, and most of all for his family. Starting in 2005, he first faced cancer and was treated many times for metastatic tumors with strength and resilience. His family often joked that he had nine lives, because time and again he defied the odds, in part thanks to the many wonderful doctors and nurses at Bronson and Mayo Clinic.

After being released from service, Randy co-founded Manatron, Inc. with his best childhood friend, Ron Stoynoff, and his brother. What began as a small venture using punch cards in 1969 grew into a successful international software company with hundreds of employees serving many county governments.

It was at Manatron that he met Madelynn, in 1971, the woman who would become his coworker and life partner. They married in 1979 and raised their family on their cherry farm in Paw Paw. Together, they built a wonderful life, sharing over 46 years of marriage and many adventures.

While Randy was proud of the company he helped build, nothing meant more to him than family – which grew to include four children and eight cherished grandchildren. If you asked Randy what his greatest accomplishment was, his answer was always the same: his family.

In 2008, Randy, then Chairman of Manatron’s Board, and Madelynn sold Manatron and entered retirement. But Randy never stopped serving others. In addition to the County Board of Commissioners, Randy also gave generously of his time and leadership to his community. He served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Van Buren Cass Health Department, Van Buren Veteran Services Committee, Van Buren County 911 Board, the Economic Development Commission (EDC), Market One Board, the Paw Paw Township Planning Commission, and the Board of Directors for Kinexus Group.

He had been involved since 1995 with the Mobile Riverine Force Association, faithfully attending their biannual reunions. He loved hosting a hospitality room for the Army and Navy veterans and their families. He has maintained lifelong bonds with his fellow “River Rats.” Randy can even be seen in a cameo in their documentary titled “The Mobile Riverine Force” narrated by Mike Rowe and showing on PBS.org, He is also included in the book and audiobook, ‘Nightmare of the Mekong’, written by his friend, Terry Sater.

For years, Randy and his lifelong friends enjoyed hunting in the UP every year and playing poker every week. Later, when his sons grew up, they often went along.

Randy is survived by his beloved wife, Madelynn (Field) Peat; his brothers Allen (Delores) Peat and Gregory Peat: his daughter Lori (Darren) Mackey and their daughters Rachel and Lauren; his daughter Angela Peat (Ryan McCarthy); his son, David (Grace) Peat and their daughters Charlotte, Sophie, and Elizabeth; and son Daniel (Leah) Peat and their children Violet, Arthur, and Louis. Randy is also survived by Madelynn's 9 siblings and spouses and many cherished nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Frances Peat.

Randy was prepared for anything and wanted to make sure the people he loved were, too. Many of his family and friends carry flashlights, emergency bags and first aid kits in their cars that he thoughtfully assembled. To be loved by Randy was to be cared for in the most practical yet generous ways. If he saw something he thought you might need someday, he made sure you had it. It was his way of looking out for the people around him, making them feel safe, supported, loved and remembered.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Old Winery Venue (Lawton Community Center) 646, Nursery Street, Lawton, MI 49065, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. A memorial service will begin at 4:00 p.m. with military honors. Everyone is welcome to stay to celebrate Randy's life until 8:00 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Van Buren Youth Camp, 12370 45th Street, Bloomingdale, MI 49026, where generations of the Field and Peat family and friends have spent time as campers, staff and on the board, Donations may also be made to the Lawrence American Legion Post 174, 130 E. Saint Joseph Street, Lawrence, MI 49064.