Larry Rubin finally laid to rest 15 years after his death
- Larry Rubin was a senior staff member of the Mackinac Bridge Authority for decades.
- He died at age 97 in 2010, with his ashes unclaimed until recently.
- His burial attracted community support, finally allowing him to be laid to rest.
In Petoskey, Michigan, on a Wednesday in May, Larry Rubin was interred, marking 15 years since his passing in 2010. Having played a crucial role in the construction of the Mackinac Bridge, which connects Michigan’s two peninsulas and opened in 1957, he spent decades as a senior staff member at the Mackinac Bridge Authority. Rubin died at the age of 97, but his ashes remained unclaimed at a funeral home for years until the discovery prompted attention from the public. The funeral home had published an announcement revealing the existence of many unclaimed cremains, including Rubin’s. This news came as a shock to former colleagues and friends who were unaware that he had not been properly laid to rest. Barbara Brown, a former board member of the Mackinac Bridge Authority, expressed her surprise upon seeing his name listed in the local newspaper. It was a poignant moment for those who remembered Rubin’s contributions. Val Meyerson, a member of Temple B’nai Israel in Petoskey, helped organize the burial, as he was familiar with the Jewish section of Greenwood Cemetery, where Rubin's first wife, Olga, was interred in 1990. Community members came together to give Rubin the memorial he deserved, highlighting his long-neglected status. Friends from the Bridge Authority contributed to the costs of his interment, demonstrating the affection and respect held for him. A graveside service was held, led by a rabbi, and about two dozen attendees participated in filling the grave, a gesture seen as an honorable acknowledgment of Rubin’s legacy. Brown remarked on the emotional significance of finally laying Rubin to rest, noting that it was moving to honor someone who had been forgotten for so long. This tragic passage of time raised questions about the systems in place for handling cremains and the importance of memorializing contributions made by individuals like Rubin, whose work had a lasting impact on infrastructure in Michigan. The emotional reunion of his friends and colleagues at the cemetery serves as a reminder of the value of community and the need to remember those who have shaped public life, particularly individuals who may have felt marginalized or overlooked in life.