Michael Roberts ’71

Michael died Nov. 7, 2014, from injuries sustained when he fell from the top of a tree he was climbing.

Michael loved adventure and loved the outdoors. At Princeton he prepared for a career in medicine, diligently completing all the requisite coursework and getting accepted into med school. But he never went. Instead he headed West after graduation and eventually landed in Colorado, where he learned carpentry, contracting, and building.

He spent most of his career as a builder of large custom homes in Steamboat Springs. He liked the freedom to experiment with new building techniques, unique designs, and energy-saving innovations. He also enjoyed being an integral part of a small-town community and raising a family in that environment. And it didn’t hurt to have his office right next to a ski lift, which allowed him to ski as much as a hundred days a year. When he wasn’t on skis, Michael was on his mountain bike or hiking in the Rockies.

Michael came to Princeton from the Haverford School. In addition to rowing crew, shooting with the Rifle Club, and joining Terrace Club’s first non-bicker class, Michael participated in numerous extracurricular activities, including anti-war protests like the sit-in at the Institute for Defense Analysis and some of the big marches on Washington. He was meticulous in taking care of his responsibilities, yet always found time for the spontaneous and inspirational. His last building project was a volunteer effort to build a “Peace Pagoda” for the community of Steamboat.    

Michael is survived by his wife, Marne; their three children; and two large circles of friends in Steamboat Springs and Evergreen, Colo. And also by a number of friends from Princeton days, whose lives he touched.