Obit of Robbins, Orville M. "Robby" - Pontotoc County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Rita Floyd 12 Sep 2010 Return to Pontotoc County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pontotoc/pontotoc.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::NOT LISTED Ada Evening News, Ada, OK, Pontotoc County Sunday, December 13, 2009 ORVILLE M. "ROBBY" ROBBINS Orville M. "Robby" Robbins died Dec. 9 from a traumatic brain injury sustained while traveling in Dali, Yunnan Province, China, in July 2009. Robby was born Aug. 11, 1929, in Seminole County, Oklahoma, the fifth of six children of Clarence and Olive Kelso Robbins. After high school he joined his brother Ralph in the construction business. He was drafted and served as a medical corpsman during the Korean War. Upon his return he went to Texas Christian University on the G. I. Bill, earning his master's degree. He taught at TCU and at the University of Houston. He entered the doctoral program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he taught for a number of years. There he met Louise Stevens. They were married in Nov.1966. In 1967 they moved to Ada, OK, where Robby had a distinguished 24-year teaching career at East Central University (ECU). He taught a variety of of literature and composition courses, including an innovative science-fiction course and a non-credit course in wine making. He redesigned the university's catalog, sponsored Alpha Chi honor society, and for many years chaired the university's Cultural Affairs Committee. He and Louise were community activists. They were founding members of the Pontotoc County NAACP, the Ada Task Force on Community Needs, and the Ada Area Arts and Humanities Council. Robby was a founding director of the Ada Arts and Heritage Center. Robby's contributions to the arts were honored both by ECU's Cultural Affairs Committee and the Ada Arts and Humanities Council. A long time member of the St Joseph Church Parish Council, with Louise he was named diocesan catechist of the year. Robby retired in 1991 when Louise took a job as a professor at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Stanley Wagner in his valedictory speech as president of ECU, held up Robby and Louise as exemplifying his three measures of success: love, creativity, and the search for truth. In Madison, Robby was an active member of the YMCA. He was an excellent cook, and he and Louise enjoyed creating a beautiful garden and a welcoming environment for family and friends. They traveled widely. In addition to European travel, they visited China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho; and Kyrgyzstan, combining business and pleasure. Robby is survived by Louise, his wife of 43 years, son Patrick of Madison, son Gregory and daughter-in-law Maura of Chicago, and two grandchildren, Cole and Harper Robbins. He is survived also by his brothers Ward and Leon, his sister Clara, a beloved sister-in law, Maxine (Ralph), and two half-siblings Lloyd Robbins and Linda Robbins Mallard, and their families. His parents, his sister Virginia and brother Ralph preceded him in death. There will be no funeral, but a celebration and thanksgiving for Robby's life will be held when his garden blooms in the spring. The family would like to thank the many people who helped us following Robby's fall, health professionals as well as the encircling community of librarians, library educators, and friends, family and acquaintances of Robby and Louise around the world. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Robby's name to Wisconsin Public Radio, which Robby loved; or to the West Side YMCA, which extended his life; or to the Robby Robbins scholarship fund at the Evergreen Education Foundation, c/o Faith Chao, 5600 Doremus Avenue, Richmond, CA 94805. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Pontotoc County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/pontotoc/pontotoc.html