Arnold Richard Rottman, age 86 of Fremont, MI passed away on November 22, 2020 at Mercy Health in Muskegon. Celebrating the Life of Arnie "Ace" Rottman Family, friends, and community members are invited to attend a casual, open house celebrating the life of Arnie Rottman who passed away November 22, 2020. Please join us as we remember him and honor his life of hard work and devotion to family. As a lifelong Fremont Packer, Michigan State Spartan, Calvin Knight, and Detroit Tiger fan, we'd love it if you wore something from one of his favorite teams or your own. The Celebration of Life will take place Wednesday, August 4 from 3:00-6:00 at the Stone Lodge, 4465 W. 48th Street in Fremont, MI. A brief time of remembrance will take place at 3:30 followed by a light reception. Arnie was born on September 13, 1934 in Fremont to Dena (Lankhorst) and Henry D. Rottman. Arnie's mom died when he was a few years old, so he spent much of his childhood with extended family members and friends. When his dad remarried, he and his older brother Harold welcomed stepmother Jenny (Guikema) to their family and later, younger brother Ken. Arnie attended Fremont Christian School and graduated from Fremont High School in 1952 where he excelled in athletics and acquired the nickname, Ace. Arnie attended Calvin College where he played basketball and first base for the baseball team. While in college, his dad passed away, so he joined the U.S. Army where he worked in Intelligence at the Pentagon. Upon completing his military service, he returned to finish his education at Calvin. He was then given an opportunity to try out for the MLB, but turned it down out of respect for his parents' religious beliefs as it would have required playing on Sundays. Arnie married Jane Ann Nadeau on September 24, 1960. They settled in Fremont where he began working for Gerber Products Company from which he would eventually retire as Warehouse Manager after 34 years of service. Together, they raised five daughters in three different houses on Osborn Road, including a 40 acre hobby farm surrounded by wonderful neighbors. Life included raising white faced herefords, chickens, raspberries, strawberries, and lots of kids; their own and extras. The little red cottage on Crystal Lake provided years of family time swimming, fishing, pontoon rides, ice skating, ice fishing, and more good neighbors. Ace was the original #girldad. He and Jane Ann were very proud to raise five daughters. Together, they worked multiple jobs in order to send their girls to Fremont Christian School where they attended every parent teacher conference, musical program, and athletic event. "The Rottman Girls" tried his patience, made him late for church, and ruined his cars, but never made him miss not having a son. Arnie was a father figure and mentor for many in the community. He made friends easily and talked to everyone. He had a circuit of round table locations and circles of old guys who solved the world's problems every day over coffee. He was a member of the First Reformed Church in Fremont serving as a Deacon and Sunday School teacher. He also attended the First Christian Reformed Church as a child and again in his later years. Arnie volunteered as a crossing guard, at the Meadows Nursing Home, at Gerber Hospital, with the Friendship Ministry and with Hospice. Arnie continued his love of sport playing fast pitch softball, coaching little league, umpiring softball, and golfing in several leagues for many years until he was no longer able. He was a die hard Packer Backer and received recognition for the many years he spent standing along the fence watching high school football games. He was often the first one in the stands, showing up hours before basketball games, in order to get his spot. Ace remained loyal to his Calvin College Knights, Michigan State Spartans and Detroit Tigers throughout his life. He and Jane Ann spent many winters in Lakeland, Florida watching the Tigers' spring training and "adopted" the UNLV women's basketball team when they wintered in Las Vegas. After many years of waiting, Arnie finally gained his most treasured titles of Grandpa and Papa. The grandkids magnified his best traits. He loved each one with his whole heart. Like his own girls, he modeled the same love and loyalty, but with a lot more patience and leniency. He filled his calendar with dance performances, orchestra concerts, band concerts, school plays, and lots of sporting events. He often talked to them on the phone and never ended a call or gathering without a hug, kiss, or words of encouragement, pride, and love. For many years, he was able to fill one big house with all of his kids and grandkids in Gulf Shores, Alabama and Florida. The favorite activity was playing cards together, mainly Five Crowns and SkipBo. Grandpa told them he was the SkipBo Champion of the World, but grandma usually won. They would play for hours at any age, any place, any time. Arnie is survived by his beloved wife, Jane Ann, with whom he celebrated 60 years of marriage. Before their marriage, he wrote that he would love her for the rest of his life, and he did just that. Even as his body weakened, his love and devotion grew stronger for Jane Ann. In their last few years, they spent almost all of their time together, taking rides and caring for each other. Pieces of his heart live on in his children: Dody (Greg) Miller, Michelle (Robert) Williams, Heidi Rottman (Kara Johnson), Marcy Comden, and Krista (Jon) Haveman. His legacy also includes grandchildren: Jalayne, Calvin, and Chace Miller; Aubrey, Braeden, and Claire Williams; Kiana, Kaden, Brecken, and Tucker Rottman-Johnson; Riley Jane and Jed Comden; Natalie and Libby Haveman. Other surviving family members are in-laws Vicki Hendrix, Van and Judy Nadeau, Diane Nadeau, Yvonne King, and Esther Hill. He will also be missed by numerous nieces and nephews, and lifelong friends including Gord and Marilyn Ringquist. His absence will be felt by his many coffee buddies, golf partners, fishing buddies, card partners and in the stands at sporting events. In addition to his parents, Arnie was preceded in death by his first born daughter, Jalayne, a second baby girl, his grandson, Jack Henry Williams, his brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Marian Rottman, his brother Ken Rottman, his mother and father-in-law, Violet and WJ Nadeau, brothers-in-law, Rex Nadeau, Gary Nadeau, Max Nadeau, and Roger King, and many other friends and family. With the current restrictions, a Celebration of Life will take place in the spring or summer of 2021. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Fremont, MI. Because Arnie died from complications due to COVID-19, we ask that you keep others safe and mask up in his honor and memory. While we are heartbroken over Dad's passing, we are beyond grateful for the man of integrity he was and the example he set for us. Well done, good and faithful servant! You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. Enter into the joy of your lord. Matthew 25:23 & 2 Timothy 4:7 Friends may consider the West Michigan Miracle League for memorial contributions. Make checks payable to West Michigan Miracle League and send all contributions to Crandell Funeral Home P O Box 148 Fremont MI 49412 for proper forwarding to the West Michigan Miracle League. The WMML was founded after Arnie's grandson, Jed, was left with physical limitations after surviving brain cancer. The WMML allows children and adults with physical and cognitive limitations the ability to play baseball. More information can be found at www.wmml.org. Friends may send a condolence or share a memory with the Rottman family online at www.crandellfh.com. Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Home – Fremont Chapel. 231-924-0800 To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Arnold "Arnie" R. Rottman, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Celebration Of Life Stone Lodge Wednesday, August 4, 2021 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM 4707 Trillium Springs Blvd. Fremont, Michigan 49412 Time of Sharing Stone Lodge Wednesday, August 4, 2021 3:30 PM 4707 Trillium Springs Blvd. Fremont, Michigan 49412