A Story of Faith and Perseverance

If you’ve ever met Dave and Mary Ann Robinson, you already know their joy and love for God are absolutely contagious. Though both are blind, they truly see with the eyes of faith.

Dave lost his eyesight at 19. Mary Ann, blind since birth, has been Catholic her whole life and is a proud graduate of Lumen Christi High School. When the school first opened, she was so grateful for the chance to attend that she promised herself she would give those two years her all — and she did, graduating valedictorian! “I wanted to prove I could do it,” she recalls. Mary Ann went on to earn a double major in psychology and social work from Michigan State University, followed by a graduate degree from the University of Michigan.

Dave grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, where his father ran a cab company. His family didn’t attend church, but the Boy Scouts — who met in a Lutheran church — sparked his early encounters with faith. “I had a normal childhood with my brother and sister,” he says. He loved sports at his large public high school with 2,000 classmates.

In his early teens, Dave began noticing vision problems. After years of surgeries for glaucoma, he lost his sight completely at 19. “The hardest part was giving up my driver’s license,” he says with a smile. After rehabilitation training in Braille and independent living skills, Dave refused to let blindness define him. He accepted a friend’s invitation to come to California, enrolled at Cal Poly, and earned both an undergraduate degree in marketing and a master’s in public administration. He also became active in the National Federation of the Blind.

His career took him to Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Nebraska, Louisiana, Ohio, and Tennessee before he settled in Lansing in 1998 to work for the State of Michigan.

It was at a National Federation of the Blind convention — where Dave was serving as membership chair — that he met Mary Ann. “We used to ride the Michigan Flyer between Lansing and Jackson back when the bus went through Jackson,” they recall. Mary Ann longed for them to share their faith fully. After Dave proposed at the St. Joseph Festival, they married in 2010, and Dave entered the Catholic Church in 2011. They’ve been on fire for their faith ever since!

A Legacy of Generosity

When planning their estate, Dave and Mary Ann wanted their giving to continue beyond their lifetime. “If we are giving while we are alive, we should in death, too,” Dave says.

After prayerful reflection, they chose to leave a large majority of their estate to faith-based organizations. Their Living Trust includes gifts to St. John’s Church, Jackson Catholic Schools, Good Shepherd Radio, and St. Joseph Church (if it is still operating).

“I want the world to be a better place,” Mary Ann says, “and I see that happening through the Catholic Church. We have the greatest gift ever in the Eucharist — we are the most blessed among all Christians!”

How You Can Leave Your Own Legacy

If you feel called to leave a lasting gift to your parish, Catholic school, or favorite Catholic ministry in the Diocese of Lansing, we’d love to walk with you. Contact Lisa Brown, Charitable Giving Advisor, at (517) 253-8738 or visit catholicfoundationlegacy.org. 

Join the Immaculate Conception Legacy Society

If you’ve already included a Catholic organization in your estate plans, you automatically qualify for membership in the Immaculate Conception Legacy Society. This special society offers the blessing of monthly Masses and prayers for members — both living and deceased.

To let us know of your legacy gift, please reach out to Lisa Brown at (517) 253-8738 or or visit catholicfoundationlegacy.org.

Like Dave and Mary Ann, you can let your faith shine for generations to come — seeing with the eyes of faith and leaving a legacy of love.