Robert Heilala

Barbara D. Heilala of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, passed away peacefully on May 27, 2025, at the age of 80, after a protracted illness related to a rare, late-in-life diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. Robert F. Heilala (Bob) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2025, at the age of 81, just two and a half weeks after his beloved wife, Barbara. Bob was born in Marquette, Michigan, in August of 1943, to Andrew and Lorraine Heilala, the middle child between his older brother, James, and younger brother, Donald. He grew up in Republic, Michigan, spending time in the woods helping his father cut pulpwood and sharing adventures with his lifelong friends Curtis and Biff. Bob graduated high school and went on to attend Michigan Tech, where he studied accounting. After graduation, he moved to Detroit and began working for the Internal Revenue Service. Barbara was born in Detroit, Michigan, in November of 1944 to Joseph and Loretto McDonald and was the youngest sister to Ann and Joan. She attended Immaculata High School and graduated from the University of Detroit with a degree in education. She later earned a master's degree at the University of Michigan. It was in Detroit that Bob and Barb met, fell in love, and married in 1971. They welcomed their son, Mark, in 1979. Barb's professional passion was educating children. She taught tirelessly in the Detroit Public Schools for 32 years, working with students from kindergarten through second grade. Not content to retire, she became the librarian at Detroit Country Day Lower School in Bloomfield Hills, where she worked for an additional 11 years. There, she shared her deep love of reading and children's literature with everyone she encountered. Barb touched the lives of countless children with her seemingly endless enthusiasm and relentless dedication. Barb loved her home in Bloomfield Hills and was an avid gardener. She treasured time with her husband and son, especially family camping trips and ski adventures in northern Michigan. Fall Saturdays were devoted to attending University of Michigan football games with longtime friends, where she always insisted on tailgating and brought elaborate spreads of homemade food-including her much-loved and ever-present brownies. Bob spent 35 years as an IRS agent. He was active in Scouting with Troop 1022 and loved camping trips with his son. In retirement, Bob enjoyed golfing and sharing lunches with friends. He had a lifelong fondness for country music, westerns, and history documentaries. Together, Barb and Bob traveled extensively in retirement, exploring North America-including Alaska and Canada-as well as destinations abroad such as China, the Holy Land, and Europe. They also loved spending time with their son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Amy, at their home on Walloon Lake in Petoskey, Michigan. Barbara and Bob shared a deep faith throughout their lives and were active parishioners at St. Owen Catholic Church in Bloomfield Hills. Barb was also deeply involved in her Catholic women's group, the Cabrini Guild, as well as the Christ Child Society. Towards the end of her life, Barb devoted much of her energy to caring for her husband, Bob, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and required supplemental oxygen at home, as well as her older sister, Ann, who was living with metastatic breast cancer in an assisted living facility. For the final eight months of their lives, their son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Amy, relocated to Bloomfield Hills to care for Barb and Bob during a long and complicated hospital and nursing home stay. Their lives will be celebrated at a memorial Mass at St Owen Catholic Church in Bloomfield Hills MI on Saturday, September 20th at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow. Barb and Bob had big hearts, generously giving their time and resources to help people and causes close to them, especially those less fortunate. Consider a donation in their honor to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen to help feed those in need.

Robert Heilala

August 11, 1943 - June 13, 2025