Background
Roberts, Lucille was born on December 7, 1943 in Leninabad, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Came to the United States, 1943. Daughter of Henry and Celia (Raifinoff) Spindel.
Roberts, Lucille was born on December 7, 1943 in Leninabad, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. Came to the United States, 1943. Daughter of Henry and Celia (Raifinoff) Spindel.
Bachelor, University Pennsylvania, 1964. Certified O.P.M., Harvard University, 1985.
A self-proclaimed "exercise nut", she turned her passion for working out into a health club empire worth $30 million at the time of her death. Born into a Jewish family near Saint St. Petersburg, Russia, she and her family emigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York in the early 1950s. An immigration intake official, as was often done at the time, altered the hard-to-pronounce names of the family.
Since the young girl reminded her of the I Love Lucy television program, Laja"s name was changed to Lucille.
Roberts graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and was one of the first women to earn a degree from Harvard Business School"s Owner/President Management program Roberts" goal was to offer affordable exercise facilities geared towards women.
In response to the public"s confusion that it was an auto repair business (the original name of the gym was The Body Shop), she renamed it Lucille Roberts, and eventually opened gyms in 50 other locations in the northeastern United States. Roberts also wrote and published the books, Computercise and The Lucille Roberts 14 Day Makeover.
A non-smoker, Roberts died from lung cancer on July 17, 2003, aged 59, at a Manhattan hospital.
(174 page hard cover book of computerized exercises for bo...)
Member National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1987-2003. Volunteer Meals on Wheels, 1986-2003. Member Young President Organization.
Married Bob Roberts, April 20, 1967. Children: Kevin Van, Kirk Van.