Hon. Roman S. Gribbs Class of ’52, ’54
Roman Gribbs (1925-2016), a much respected former mayor of the city of Detroit and judge for the Michigan Court of Appeals, was also a very active as a student and alumnus at the University of Detroit.
As a student, he was President of Student Council, Vice-President Alpha Sigma Nu, national Jesuit honor society, Blue Key member, Senior Delegate for National Federation of Catholic College Students, Sophomore Class President and received the Delta Sigma Pi gold pin scholarship award which is presented to the graduating senior who maintained the highest scholastic average in the Commerce and Finance College during his four years at the college (Class of 1952). He graduated from the University of Detroit Law School in 1954.
At the University of Detroit Mercy, the College of Business Administration inducted him in to the 2011-12 Hall of Honor given to exemplary individuals who have given much to their profession, to their communities, to the College and to the University:
“In addition to having a successful private practice, Ray was an Assistant Prosecutor and Sherriff of Wayne County before being elected Mayor of Detroit in 1969. As Mayor, he is perhaps best remembered for leading the City from a time of turbulence into an era of healing, and for his national leadership on the issue of federal revenue sharing. Widely respected as a jurist, he became a circuit court judge in 1975 and was elected to the Michigan Court of Appeals in 1982. Judge Gribbs’ professional activities include membership in the Advocates Bar Association, the Detroit Bar Association, the Catholic Lawyers’ Society, the State Bar of Michigan, the Michigan Judicial Institute, the League of Women Voters of Michigan, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the Michigan Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities. A former instructor and past Trustee of the University of Detroit, he has been active with the Michigan Youth Commission, the NAACP, the National Urban Coalition, the Old Newsboy’s Goodfellows Fund, Friends of the Archbishop of Detroit, the Colorado Institute, and the Piast Institute.”
Nancy Niepoth Commerce senior and Ray Gribbs, Commerce sophomore go over plans for raising funds for the proposed student activities building (1950)
Dr. Stewart of student affairs, assistant dean (right front) at the reception for Korean vets at the Rakham Memorial. UD representitives, left to right Mary Jo Mauer, Women’s League, Ray Gribbs, Law School, (Back left to right) Dick Welsh, student council president, Craig, Law School (1953)
