Gary L. Robbins, 78, of Battle Creek died Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at home. He was born in Battle Creek on December 7, 1942, the son of C. Lavern and Betty (Lapham) Robbins.
Gary was a 1961 graduate of Lakeview High School as well as a 1966 graduate of Western Michigan University.
A great source of pride for Gary was his military service. He was a Second Lieutenant in US Army Signal Corp during the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1969. While he served his country, he earned commendations such as the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service while being attached to the 53rd Signal Battalion.
Gary married Jill E. (Barnes) Robbins on April 1, 1972. He was preceded in death by Jill on July 30, 2007. He is survived by his two children, Andrew (Rebecca) Robbins of Ypsilanti, Kathryn Robbins of Kalamazoo, and his sister Carole Sharp of Battle Creek. Gary was preceded in death by his parents.
Gary spent his entire career in the family business as both a real estate broker and appraiser at Robbins Realty. He was the third generation of the family to work in the industry and took pride in that fact. Gary did it all including helping young families buy their first home, leased office space to upstart companies, and appraised difficult properties like the Battle Creek Federal Center.
In his later years, Gary volunteered at the Battle Creek Veterans Administration in a number of roles. Hanging out with fellow veterans was a great way to spend his days and learn new things.
Gary enjoyed catching up on current events, listening to talk radio, and following Western Michigan University athletic teams. He was particularly fond of his daughter's dog Enzo. He was also a "foodie" before it was cool and loved to explore new cuisines.
Visitation will be held 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Wednesday at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, where services will be at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Military honors and committal will follow at Fort Custer National Cemetery. The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed at
https://vimeo.com/586002129 or you may also view it on the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home Facebook page.
Donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 3940 Peninsular Dr. SE # 180, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 should one desire. Personal messages may be left at www.farleyestesdowdle.com