Robert H. Healy

Robert Higby Healy, a retired prosecutor best known for his intellect and courtroom command in Detroit during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, died on December 10, 2025 in Bellingham, Washington. He was 92.

Born in Rochester, New York, in 1933, Robert dedicated his life to the protection and care of others—a calling that spanned raucous courtrooms, an active household, and the quiet homes of hospice patients.

Robert’s life was built on a foundation of rigorous education and service. A graduate of The Lawrenceville School and Yale University, he served in the U.S. Army before earning an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the Detroit College of Law. Admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1964, he applied his sharp mind in every role he undertook.

For decades, Robert made his home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where he raised his children with his first wife, Kay Carse, and distinguished himself in law enforcement. As a Wayne County prosecutor and U.S. Attorney, he confronted narcotics traffickers and murderers. Robert co-founded a specialized homicide squad within the Detroit Police Department and served as Chief Trial Attorney for the Wayne County Organized Crime Task Force.

Upon retiring in 1994, he began a new chapter with his wife, Josephine O’Brien Healy. They relocated to the quiet beauty of Port Hadlock, Washington, and in 2001, settled in Bellingham to welcome their first grandchildren. Retirement did not end his drive to serve; he became a Guardian Ad Litem for at-risk children and volunteered with hospice.

Above all, Robert was the anchor of a large, blended family. He was a devoted husband and a father who offered equal measures of guidance and support to all his children.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Josephine; his children, Julia Philbrick Healy and Robert Carse Healy; and his stepchildren, whom he championed and loved, Fenton McCreery Remick, Elisabeth Lewis Remick, Jerome Hosmer Remick, and Charlotte Bouvier Paulus. He also leaves behind three grandchildren who inherited his curiosity: Wren Syre Healy, Ann Syre Healy, and Terrence Donald Charlie.

Robert will be laid to rest at a private service at Bayview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Whatcom Humane Society and Whatcom Hospice Foundation.

Please share your favorite memories in his online guestbook below.