Robert James Husted

Robert J. Husted of Lansing, Michigan passed away on the afternoon of Sunday, July 28, 2019 at age 79. Robert, or Bob as he preferred to be called, was born on July 8, 1940 to William and Jane Husted. Bob was born in West Branch, MI, but grew up in Ypsilanti and attended Ypsilanti High School, class of 1958. He attended EMU, and graduated with a BS in engineering. Bob later went on to earn an associate's degree in computer science at LCC. Bob joined the Navy in 1959, and served on the USS Ranger as an aviation electronics technician, working on the Vought F-8 Crusader with Fighter Squadron VF-91. After his discharge from the Navy in 1961, Bob worked in a variety of different fields, most notably working on double sided printed circuit boards for the Explorer 35 lunar orbiter in 1966. Bob went on to have a 20 year career as a systems analyst at the State of Michigan Treasury Department. He spoke several different languages, including Fortran, COBOL, assembler, and C.

Bob was a man of many interests and passions. He was an avid reader, particularly enjoying Science Fiction and Fantasy, a love he passed on to his children. He loved photography, spending many hours taking pictures with his Pentax, trying to get just the right shot of a wildflower, or a tumultuous Upper Peninsula waterfall. Football and basketball were a major focus every year, and taken very seriously. He loved camping and exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, particularly the Keweenaw peninsula, with his family. He was a devout liberal for his whole life, sharing his feelings with anyone, not just those who would listen. His unending loathing of Donald Trump cannot be overstated.

Bob was an incredibly kind and generous man. He would do anything for a friend, no matter the circumstance. No one was more devoted in their love of all animals. He never met a creature he did not love, and was a constant champion for animal rights. Bob will be incredibly missed by all those whose lives he touched. Bob is survived by his children, Jessamy Green-Husted (Todd Meder) and Sebastian Green-Husted (Crystal Green-Husted), his grandchildren Dimitri and Cordelia Meder, his siblings John Husted (Judy Husted), and Billie Jane Smith, and numerous nieces and nephews in whose lives he played a large role. Also mourning his loss are the many friends in his life, particularly Anne Reimers and his goddaughter Hillary Lewis-Reimers (Rob Cade-Dahman).

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to the Capital Area Humane Society. A memorial will be planned for a later date.