1 Upcoming Event
Celebration of Life
DEC
27
Saturday, December 27, 2025
, ,
Our mother, Machree Robinson, died on October 15, 2025 in Ann Arbor, she was 93 and lived a rich full life. She loved her family fiercely, and was never happier than when she was surrounded by them.
Born in Oakland, California and named Machree by her Belfast-born, father. Her name was instead registered as Mary Alice, considered "less Irish" by her grandmother.
She was very proud of being a first generation college graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (1954.) She returned to school in 1985 at age 53, legally changing her name so that Machree appeared on her masters degree.
Mom fought against racial and ethnic discrimination her whole life, strongly believing that love is love, and that immigration strengthened our country. She and our father took us to protests as young children, believing that peaceful resistance is important.
Machree is survived by four children: Caitlin, Hilary (Eric), Matthew (Heather) and Samuel (Susan). She reveled in her eight grandchildren, their spouses and partners, and in her five great grandchildren. We all miss her.
She lost her husband, our father, Jay in 2014; they had been married for over 60 years. Machree was the oldest, and last living of three siblings born to her parents, Margaret and Matthew Richardson.
Machree always worked, holding varied jobs including, when young, at a Lake Tahoe casino as a cage "girl." After the family moved to Ann Arbor (from Evanston) she held a number of increasingly responsible positions at the University of Michigan, retiring as an Assistant Dean of Rackham Graduate School. She loved her work with students and faculty.
Mom had the gift of friendship and was blessed to have many deep relationships; the family is grateful for their presence in her life. The family is also grateful for the care extended to Machree by the staff at Hillside Terrace and through Elara Hospice. Finally, Mom loved, and shared her later years with her cat, Cleo, who, like mom, remains fiercely opinionated.
A celebration of Machree's life will take place December 27, 2025.
Born in Oakland, California and named Machree by her Belfast-born, father. Her name was instead registered as Mary Alice, considered "less Irish" by her grandmother.
She was very proud of being a first generation college graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (1954.) She returned to school in 1985 at age 53, legally changing her name so that Machree appeared on her masters degree.
Mom fought against racial and ethnic discrimination her whole life, strongly believing that love is love, and that immigration strengthened our country. She and our father took us to protests as young children, believing that peaceful resistance is important.
Machree is survived by four children: Caitlin, Hilary (Eric), Matthew (Heather) and Samuel (Susan). She reveled in her eight grandchildren, their spouses and partners, and in her five great grandchildren. We all miss her.
She lost her husband, our father, Jay in 2014; they had been married for over 60 years. Machree was the oldest, and last living of three siblings born to her parents, Margaret and Matthew Richardson.
Machree always worked, holding varied jobs including, when young, at a Lake Tahoe casino as a cage "girl." After the family moved to Ann Arbor (from Evanston) she held a number of increasingly responsible positions at the University of Michigan, retiring as an Assistant Dean of Rackham Graduate School. She loved her work with students and faculty.
Mom had the gift of friendship and was blessed to have many deep relationships; the family is grateful for their presence in her life. The family is also grateful for the care extended to Machree by the staff at Hillside Terrace and through Elara Hospice. Finally, Mom loved, and shared her later years with her cat, Cleo, who, like mom, remains fiercely opinionated.
A celebration of Machree's life will take place December 27, 2025.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Machree Robinson, please visit our flower store.
Machree Robinson's Guestbook
Visits: 55
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors