Barbara Richey MacRoberts Dies at 83

Why this is here: From 1969 to 1971, Barbara and Michael MacRoberts studied gulls in Cumbria and titmice in Oxford, both in England, expanding their research across multiple ecosystems.

Barbara Richey MacRoberts passed away peacefully at her home in Shreveport, Louisiana on April 10, 2026, at age 83. Born in Tucson, Arizona, she earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Arizona.

There, she met her husband, Michael H. MacRoberts, whom she married in London, England in 1964.

Barbara and Michael collaborated on animal behavior studies in Gibraltar, California, and England from 1964 to 1971. Later, they established BogResearch and shifted their focus to plant communities in Louisiana and East Texas. They worked extensively on national forest lands, contributing to management practices for prairies, bogs, and Sandylands in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

The couple published over 150 articles and partnered with Louisiana State University, Shreveport. Barbara continued mentoring young botanists and documenting her fieldwork through art even after Michael’s death in 2021. Her detailed botanical illustrations and field notes remain as part of her legacy.