In February, Houghton’s Mayor Bob Backon passed away at the age of 83. He was a beloved member of the community, a teacher at Houghton High School, and also a basketball and golf coach who was seen on the sidelines of many basketball games as a referee. Backon served his community in many other ways as well, most notably as a civil servant for more than 35 years.
Bob Backon grew up in Ironwood. At the time he didn’t know it, but he had already met one of many people who would go on to call him a mentor. John Vaara attended school with Bob’s younger brother Norm and later reconnected with Backon when they both began teaching in the Copper Country.
“I remember calling him and asking for information about housing and all different kinds of things. And Bob and I both then were kind of teaching colleagues because we taught the same subject,” said John Vaara, a retired Chassell teacher.
Vaara taught in Chassell. Backon taught in Houghton. The pair saw many changes in education, meeting throughout the years to share materials and check in on each other. Teachers tend to become special people in their students’ lives as well, and Bob was no different in that regard. But he was known to help kids who some might not have taken the time to understand better.
“He often followed up with them. And, you know, that was neat to be in his presence when a student would come by and say, ‘I remember you, Mr. B. I remember Mr. B. when, you know, such and such happened in school and I appreciate you helping me get through. And I’ve got a good job now and I’m working somewhere,’ whatever he’s doing or she was doing. So I think those are great things. And I’m sure Bob left his legacy on many students who went to Houghton schools,” Vaara said.
Throughout his time teaching, Backon was very involved in the lives of students as a coach for the junior varsity basketball and varsity golf teams at Houghton High School. He was also a referee who traveled around the western Upper Peninsula to keep high school sports fair and honest.
Now a commissioner in Houghton County, Roy Britz’s first experience working with Bob Backon was on the junior varsity basketball team. Britz laughs thinking about how he was as a player, but Backon didn’t let on. Later when the pair began refereeing games together, Britz and Backon would carpool to games. He adds that Backon earned the respect from athletes, coaches, fellow referees and parents alike. He was stern and fair.
“He didn’t treat me like another kid from school. He treated me like another official on the floor. And he pointed out things, and we talked about a lot. And it helped me to get more comfortable. You know, you’re always in a new element there, and you want to make sure you’re doing it right. And he would point out things. Say ‘Hey this is something you should be doing, this is something you should watch out for.’ He didn’t say ‘You’re doing it wrong.’ He’d say ‘This is what you should be looking at.’ And that was very much appreciated by myself,” said Roy Britz, Houghton County commissioner.
“You know, I remember sitting, watching my kids play basketball and I’m a hockey guy, so I don’t really understand basketball, but Mr. Backon did. He certainly understood basketball and he was a fair ref, but everybody liked him. You know, I mean, he was just genuinely a good person and you don’t meet people, like I said before, you don’t meet people like that often in your life,” said Eric Waara, city manager for the City of Houghton.
From the classroom onto the basketball court, Bob Backon brought a smile and laugh to everything he did and took the time to listen to anyone who wanted to speak with him. He brought that same energy and spirit when he walked into the Houghton City Center on the planning commission and later the city council. Scott MacInnes knew Bob when he was a student in his U.S. government class and grew closer as they worked together for the betterment of the community.
In the 1990s, Bob Backon and the Houghton city council took the initiative to address blight at the old Houghton High School building on Houghton Avenue. Tearing down the structure impacted many people. MacInnes was the city manager of Houghton at the time, attesting to the difficult time in the community.
“Yeah, that was a long, long process and it was painful. I went to school there and Bob taught there and a lot of people had a lot of memories of that building and really did not want to see it come down, but it just got to be the point it was an unbelievable hazard from the city and a blight, you know. Bob was one of the people on the city council said, ‘Hey, we need to take the step here and take care of this problem.’ And we did,” said Scott MacInnes, former city manager for the City of Houghton.
Before Backon would join the city council and go on to become mayor of Houghton, his first experience in municipal government started on the Houghton Planning Commission. While Bill Leder did not work on the planning commission in Backon’s earliest tenure with the city, he respected Backon’s knowledge and experience when Leder joined several years ago.
“But when he did speak, you know, he was really listened to and he would make his point, but he would always do it in a respectful way. And as a Planning Commission member, I did occasionally attend council meetings and I was really impressed with the way Bob presided over council meetings. That sort of basketball referee mentality came through,” said Bill Leder, planning commissioner for the City of Houghton.
Robert Megowen joined the city’s council just after the demolition of the former high school. He says from day one Bob Backon was a mentor and taught him keeping his ears open to listening was crucial to serving the community.
“Bob was big on safety and taking care of everybody. That was his big thing. It wasn’t about east Houghton or west Houghton, or the Michigan Tech. It was about the whole community. And it wasn’t just about Houghton and Hancock, it was the whole U.P. And I think that’s why he’s strong like Tom Merz, and Scott MacInnes about the development of the SmartZone. Developing an area slowly and carefully,” said Robert Megowen, mayor of Houghton.
Outside of the classroom and council chambers, Bob Backon relaxed on the golf course. He led Houghton’s Gremlins to a state golf championship in 1989 and 1996. He was also an avid member of the Portage Lake Men’s Golf League. Later in life he greeted golfers when working at the Portage Lake Golf Course. MacInnes had the pleasure of playing a few games with Backon. Even when he wasn’t hitting just right, Bob kept his well-known smile on his face.
“He was the same way. Everybody else might have gotten upset with their games. And you know Bob had a couple of bad shots and he just keeps smiling and keeps going so like I said I don’t ever remember seeing him upset in any way,” MacInnes said.
Over the 35 years he spent on the city council, Houghton saw many changes. Where Backon’s former place of employment stood now sits a community garden and the Keweenaw Park Properties. Backon was also instrumental in attracting the MTEC SmartZone and the reimagining of Houghton’s waterfront on the Portage Canal.
Since Bob Backon’s passing, many people have shared their condolences with his family. Bob Backon’s influence has been remembered by people who local residents might not have known he knew. Shortly after Backon’s passing, Chief of Police John Donnelly shared a text conversation between himself and Bob’s son Steven, while the two were watching the USA vs. Canada ice hockey game during the Olympics. Prior to the United States’ men’s ice hockey team’s gold medal match, Zach Werenski, of the Columbus Blue Jackets and former Michigan Wolverine, texted Steven to share his condolences. His cousin, Representative Jack Bergman remembered Bob Backon fondly while on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in the weeks following Bob’s passing.
“He led with kindness, wisdom, and an optimism that made others believe in the future of their town,” said Rep. Bergman. “He was the kind of person who knew everyone, encouraged everyone, and celebrated every success, big or small. But to our family, Bob was something even more important. He was a steady presence, someone who cared deeply about the people around him. He faced life’s hardships with strength and grace carrying forward with the same generosity of spirit that defined him.”
Bob Backon served his community. He taught many students at Houghton High School, volunteered his time to community initiatives and brought joy to everyday interactions throughout his life. Backon was 83 years old when he passed away February 15th, 2026. A memorial service for friends and family of former mayor Bob Backon has been planned for Saturday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
