Roberta Mary Gubbins

Roberta Mary Gubbins, JD, age 89, passed away peacefully in Holt, Michigan, surrounded by friends and family in the early hours of December 13, 2025. She was born January 26, 1936, in Marshall, Michigan, to Robert and Mary “Madelon” Gubbins. A loving mother, grandmother, great‑grandmother, and friend, Roberta lived her life with courage and compassion, teaching her family and community that any obstacle can be overcome with hard work and belief in oneself.

Roberta graduated from the University of Michigan in 1957, where she was a member of the Men’s Rifle Team and the Women’s Rifle Club. She became the national small‑bore rifle champion, a crowning achievement in a sport that defined her young life and in which she broke many barriers. After teaching and raising her family, she pursued a career in law, graduating from the Michigan State University College of Law in 1986. She served the public in manifold ways across the state of Michigan and inspired other women to pursue their dreams and never take no for an answer.

Following her retirement, she traveled to the Republic of Moldova to contribute to that nation’s efforts toward progress and legal reform. She later returned to Michigan to spend her remaining years surrounded by the love of her family while continuing to publish both fiction and non‑fiction. She was a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, and the National Rifle Association, and she volunteered at Potter Park Zoo. Roberta served as an example to all who knew her of how fulfilling life can be when you refuse to be defined by the world’s expectations and instead take control of your own destiny. She will be remembered for her sense of humor, forward thinking, and unwavering principles.

She is survived by her former spouse, John Allen Gehrig; her children, John Robert Gehrig (Coi), Mary Elizabeth Rousseaux, and Melissa Ford Lucken (Walter); her grandchildren, Walter Anthony Lucken IV (Kate), Elliot Brooke Rousseaux, Collin Ford Lucken (Mykaela), and Hans Robert Gehrig; and her great‑granddaughter, Lydia Penelope Lucken.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 3:00–6:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 621 South Jefferson, Mason.

Memorial donations may be made to:

Ingham County Animal Shelter

(517) 676‑8370

600 Buhl Street, Mason, MI 48854

Donate online: https://ac.ingham.org/how_do_i/donate/index.php