Robert Allen MacGillis

Some men leave behind monuments. Others leave gardens, homes they built with their own hands, children who learned the value of hard work by watching them, and stories that somehow get better every time they’re told. Robert Allen MacGillis was that kind of man.

It was a full Buck Moon when Bob went to meet Jesus on July 29, 2026, at the age of 84, leaving behind a life defined by true grit, quiet integrity, humility, deep love for his family, and a determination that never seemed to fade no matter what life placed in his path. He died peacefully at his home in Howell.

Bob was born on March 18, 1942, in Detroit, Michigan, to Angus and Cecilia (Ignash) MacGillis. He was proud of his Polish and Scottish roots. The MacGillis name carries a Highlander heritage, and Bob often reflected the qualities associated with that tradition—strength, independence, loyalty, and perseverance. Like the thistle that survives and grows strong in difficult conditions, Bob had a remarkable ability to endure. The more life ground him down, the more determined he became to rise again.

Robert MacGillis

He grew up at 7384 Poe Street on Detroit’s east side, where he delivered newspapers and experienced a city unlike any other. He loved telling stories from those years—about seeing Malcolm X on the streets of Detroit and crossing paths with Sonny and Cher before they became famous. Whether every detail had grown a little richer with time hardly mattered. Bob knew how to tell a story, and everyone listening was better for it.

During his childhood summers, Bob spent time working on his Polish grandfather’s farm in Michigan’s Thumb. Those summers connected him to the land and helped shape his lifelong love of nature, gardening, and working with his hands.

Bob was a strikingly handsome young man in his day, with a strong presence and a physical strength that made him stand out wherever he went. He attended St. Agnes High School before transferring to Visitation High School when St. Agnes became an all-girls school. He graduated from Visitation in 1960, playing defensive football and excelling in mathematics before earning a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University.

One of Bob’s favorite subjects was his childhood best friend, Ed Pacheco. Their adventures growing up in Detroit became family legends, and no matter how many times he told those stories, they never seemed to lose their charm.

Robert MacGillis

After high school, Bob’s physical strength became one of his defining traits. His brother-in-law, Joe Roman, helped him land a union job on the Detroit shipping docks. It was demanding, backbreaking work, but Bob embraced it. He wasn’t afraid of hard labor, and he took pride in earning an honest day’s pay. By carefully saving his wages, he bought himself a brand-new 1962 red Chevrolet Impala—one of the first rewards of a young man determined to build a good life through hard work.

In 1966, Bob married Jean Sutcliffe, a girl from Pentwater, Mich. Their marriage would last 60 years, built on devotion, loyalty, faith, dialing down expectations, and the shared belief that a good life was something you worked for every day.

Following the 1967 Detroit riots, Bob and Jean chose a quieter life in Livingston County, settling in the bucolic countryside outside Howell. There, Bob built their family home on Crooked Lake Road. It became the place where their children grew up, gardens flourished, and countless family memories made.

Bob built a successful career as an estimator for Bechtel, Timmer, and DeMaria. His engineering mind, practical judgment, and relentless work ethic earned the respect of coworkers throughout his career.

Robert MacGillis with family

Becoming a father brought one of life’s happiest surprises when twins, Ian and Dave, arrived. Years later came his daughter, Marie, completing the family that became the center of his world. He was immensely proud of his children and later found tremendous joy in becoming a grandfather to Paige, Garrett, Duke, Arthur, and Georgianna.

For all of his strength, Bob was happiest outdoors. He loved tending a garden, working with the soil, and watching things grow. He grew grapes and made his own wine, taking pride in the patience and care required to create something from the earth.

Bob loved Michigan’s wild places. He enjoyed hunting and exploring national parks like Isle Royale and the Great Smoky Mountains, and he had a lifelong interest in collecting firearms — though like many men of his generation, there never seemed to be enough time for every passion he wanted to pursue. Life was often work, family, and responsibility first, but even so, those interests remained an important part of who he was, reflecting his curiosity, independence, and connection to the outdoors.

Music was woven throughout Bob’s life. He loved The Highwaymen, Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Gordon Lightfoot, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and the Motown sound that forever reminded him of his Detroit roots.

Robert MacGillis

He enjoyed cracking open a beer while watching sporting events with family, spending an afternoon with a history documentary, and watching classic westerns—the kind of stories that matched his appreciation for independence, courage, and perseverance. During the ‘80s, Saturdays often meant watching hilariously bad B horror movies on the Thriller Double Feature with his daughter, creating memories she would forever cherish.

Those closest to Bob knew a side of him that many others never saw. Beneath the rugged exterior was a wonderfully mischievous sense of humor. He delighted in making up hilarious songs on the spot, often leaving the whole family laughing. He could be stubborn, fiercely independent, and tough as nails, but beneath it all was a thoughtful and deeply caring man. Love, for Bob, was something you showed more often than you said. He showed it by going to work every day, meticulously maintaining the family cars, providing for his family, and quietly making sure the people he loved were cared for.

A cradle Catholic, Bob carried his faith quietly throughout his life and often prayed the Rosary. He believed in keeping his word and doing the right thing even when no one was watching.

Bob never sought recognition for the life he built. He measured success not by titles or possessions, but by whether his family was cared for, whether the work was done right, and whether he had kept his word.

Life tested Bob in many ways, but it never took away his determination, humor, or his ability to find joy in the simple life—a Michigan lake, tending a fire, a garden, a good story, a song, or time spent with people he loved.

Somewhere in the hearts of those who knew him, Bob will always be paddling a canoe across a quiet Michigan lake, the water smooth beneath him, the great sand dunes rising in the distance, completely at peace.

He will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever woven into the story of his family.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Angus and Cecilia (Ignash) MacGillis; his brother, Jerry MacGillis; and his sister, Carol MacGillis.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Jean MacGillis (Sutcliffe); his sons, Ian MacGillis (Pam) and Dave MacGillis (Jennifer); his daughter, Marie (Todd); his cherished grandchildren, Paige, Garrett, Duke, Arthur, and Georgianna; and countless cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.