Luella Arlyne Luba

MARQUETTE, MI – Luella Arlyne Luba, age 101, of Marquette, formerly of Iron River, passed away Tuesday, October 26, 2021, at home surrounded by her family. Born December 30, 1919, in Bates Township, to Isadore Adam and Edna Gladys (Mattson) Luba, she grew up on the family farm on Section 3 Road and later in life in the City of Iron River. She went by Arlyne but to all that knew her she was always lovingly referred to as LUBA. She took that as a badge of honor as she loved her father and her family name. She enjoyed being on the farm and growing up in the woods and credits that for her appreciation and love of all things artistic. When she moved to Chicago, she opened her own business, Luba Galleries, which featured the works of well known and local artists. She frequented the Chicago art venues and enjoyed the opera and anything to do with the arts. Always inquisitive, she attended Loop College at age 60 and was one semester short of being an art major. In 1991, Arlyne retired and moved back to Iron River where she still maintained both her home in Iron River as well as the family farm on Section 3 Road. Locally, she served as a court officer in Crystal Falls, working with juveniles for several years. She had a real passion for helping children and was generous with her time and talent for anyone who needed assistance or just wanted to stop in and chat. Full of life, she could be sassy, and was very much a free spirit who lived by the advice “keep on keeping on”. Arlyne loved reading. painting and her cat, Ito. Her fulfillment in life came from riding her John Deere through the fields on the farm and singing to the deer. She loved riding around Sunset Lake and checking in with her beloved friends, Lois (Dave) Assman and Ilda (Terry) VanArkel and others where she would spend many hours just chatting and laughing away. Many thanks for all the pickles they would get her out of with just one ring of her cellphone to say that she was in trouble, stuck in the fields or whatever other mischief she would get into. She would clip down the road in her vehicle that was lovingly dubbed “the Duck Mobile” and was proud to say at 101 she still had a driver’s license. Arlyne moved to Marquette, with her daughter in 2016 under protest of losing her independence but quickly learned that it was fun to be the queen of the castle and that Marquette was an interesting place to be. She said you must take each day as a new opportunity to learn something new. She enjoyed watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune to keep her mind strong and she loved to read her books. Arlyne is survived by her sons, Jack (Cecilia) LaRock of Iron River, Robin Brankey of Illinois, Timothy Brankey of Illinois, Edward (Natalie) Brankey; her daughter, Dawn (Rick “her favorite son-in-law”) Allen of Marquette; her grandchildren, Kristine Pelas of Wisconsin, Phillip (Fern) Brankey of Oregon, JD (Christina) LaRock of Massachusetts, Damien LaRock of New York, Erica (Frank) McPartlin of Illinois, Laurian (Cody) Dicks, Eddie Brankey, and Mikey Brankey; 5 great-grandchildren and 2 great great-grandchildren; and many loving friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Willard Luba; a daughter, Jill LaRock, a son, Terry Brankey; and a grandson, Joshua Brankey. Private graveside services will be held with a celebration of life to be held at a later date. Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com