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Robina Black Payant, 92, formerly of Marquette, passed away on June 8 at the Marquette County Medical Care Facility.

Born on June 20, 1918, in Menominee to Ross E. and Ruth (Porter) Langill, she spent her early years in Menominee, graduating as valedictorian from Menominee High School in 1935. After studying at the University of Chicago, she attended Jordan College in Menominee. Here she met Mark Payant, who was to become her beloved husband of sixty-four years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University in 1940. Robina and Mark married in 1941 and spent the first years of their marriage in Iron Mountain.

After Mark's service in World War II, the couple moved with their daughter Kay to Minneapolis, where Mark attended dental school. Mark and Robina wanted to settle in the U.P., choosing Marquette as the place to make their home. Here another child was born to Robina and Mark, their son David. Robina spent most of her life lovingly caring for her family, but during the 1960s she attended NMU, received a Master's Degree in History, and spent several years teaching history at NMU. She greatly enjoyed this experience and received excellent evaluations from her students. She also took a leadership role in the Girl Scouts, serving for a time as President of the Upper Peninsula Girl Scout Council; she was President of the Board of Peter White Library, and was active in the Marquette Golf and Country Club. Another interest was gardening; her beautiful flower garden on Spruce Street was a continual source of enjoyment. Cooking delicious meals for her family, she passed down to them her mother's recipe for roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, wonderful pie crust, and many other favorite dishes.

Her children and grandchildren will always remember the festive holiday dinners she created. Her greatest passion, however, was reading. She was familiar with the classics of American and British literature, American and European history, political writings and was a devoted patron of the Peter White Public Library, imparting the love of reading to her children. If she could not answer a question, she knew where to find the answer. Her ever-curious mind kept her reading and learning about the world even near the end of her life. She was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Robina is survived by her children Kay (Ted Raymond) and David (Susan), both of Marquette; her grandchildren Philip Pavlik (Rachel Ankney) of Pittsburgh; Andrew Pavlik (Amy Coyne) of Minneapolis; Ross and Reed Pavlik of Marquette; and great-grandson Ryan Pavlik. She was preceded in death by her dear husband Mark, who passed away in 2005; her parents; and siblings David, Ruth Dettman, Ross A., and Helen Jean Burns. Eleven nieces and nephews also survive her.

Special thanks to the staff at Marquette County Medical Care Facility the nurses and caregivers of the Bradley Cory Special Needs Unit and the 200 Wing who lovingly cared for Robina in her last years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lake Superior Hospice Association, 914 W. Baraga Avenue, Marquette, MI 49855, who also aided Robina in her last days.

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Friday, July 8 at 11:00 am. Friends may call at the church between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will be held in the church's Great Room following the service.

The Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home is serving the family. Condolences may be expressed online at www.swansonlundquistfuneralhome.com.