Larry J. Robison

Larry J. Robison, 81, of Central Lake and Suttons Bay, passed peacefully with family by his side on December 26, 2024, and is now rejoicing in heaven.

 Born on March 21, 1943, Larry was the second of three boys welcomed by Walter and Hazel (Rayburn) Robison in South Bend, Indiana. Larry learned the value and reward of work at an early age while helping out at one of his father’s drugstores. Even though he grew up in the shadows of Notre Dame University, he became a Boilermaker – a member of the Alpha Phi chapter of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity and graduating from the Purdue College of Pharmacy in 1966. After a stint with Eli Lilly and Company, he moved to Kalamazoo to pursue his MBA at Western Michigan University while working part-time at The Upjohn Company. He then began a long and fulfilling career at Upjohn (later Pfizer) that spanned 30 years, retiring from its international division in 1998. He loved the places his job took him, including across the Asia Pacific region and Europe.

 Larry was a very proud father of two daughters, Jill and Lee Anne, sharing with them his love of many things, including how to ski (on both water and snow) and how to properly stack a pile of wood – teaching them to both work hard and play hard. He also shared his favorite place on earth, the family cottage on Central Lake’s Intermediate Lake - a place of fun and many celebrations, as well as cherished quiet times, over the years with friends and family.

 If it moved - whether on two wheels or four, powered by an engine or a sail – Larry wanted to be on it. Also, the faster the better. For many years, he looked forward to attending BMW motorcycle rallies around the country and dirt bike weekends. He also cherished spending time with friends and family at hunting camps in northern Michigan, Indiana and out west. Larry was honored to call himself a Mason, belonging to Central Lake Lodge #426 for 26 years, recognized as Mason of the Year in 2006 and holding various officer positions, including Worshipful Master.

Larry married his wife Carol in 2004 on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the start of two decades of travel and adventures. They completed the Caribbean 1500 – an annual sailing event from Virginia to Tortola - in 2006, accomplishing a dream and making many new sailing friends along the way. Their travels to Spain every winter for the last several years brought much joy to their lives after they left their sailing days behind, and a train trip through the Canadian Rockies in the fall of 2023 completed their last great trip together.

 In addition to his daughters, Larry is survived by his wife, Carol Geiger, brother Rodney (Lynn) Robison and nephew Craig (Joelle) Robison, brother Philip (Sue) Robison and niece Christine (Jason) Gray, son-in-law Greg Reichardt, granddaughters Ellie and Anna Reichardt, his former wife and mother of his children Diana Kaye (Hamilton) Van Til, Carol’s children Lynn, Jeff, and Brad, cousins, many Masonic brothers, five very adored dogs, and endless other friends.

 A private family remembrance will be held, with a celebration of life planned for Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the cottage in Central Lake. Details to be shared at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Larry’s memory may be made to the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation, michiganmasons.org (note Bellaire Masonic Lodge #398) or Cherryland Humane Society (cherrylandhumane.org) in Traverse City.

  Arrangements are in the care of the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.

  Online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.