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Donald Louis Robinson, 71
Former congressional staffer, head of Wellfleet Historical Society
Donald Louis “Robbie” Robinson, Ph.D., 71, of Wellfleet, died in his sleep on Tuesday, April 29, at his home in Wellfleet.
Robbie was born in Ottawa, Ill., in 1936. In his youth, he was a talented trumpet player and tap dancer who won numerous prizes. He received an academic scholarship to Northwestern University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1958 and a master of arts degree in 1959. While at Northwestern, he earned spending money playing trumpet in a dance band and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
Robbie joined the U.S. Navy in the Officer Training Program and moved to Washington, D.C., where he served at the Office of Naval Intelligence for three-and-a-half years. During his tenure in the Navy he began a doctoral program in international relations at American University in Washington, D.C. He left the U.S. Navy in 1962 and received his Ph.D. in 1963.
It was at a friend’s Sunday brunch, over bagels, that he met his future wife, Sara Moore, a congressional staffer. The two fell in love and were married in 1962. They had two children, a son, Marshall, in 1969, and a daughter, Margaret (Moore), born in 1971.
Dr. Robinson worked as a congressional staffer for 13 years before retiring on disability in 1976 after being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. He was then hired by Boston University to develop a Washington, D.C. internship program, which he ran for 25 years. In addition, he developed internship programs for Case Western Reserve and the University of Houston. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton to be a member of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Dr. Robinson and his wife, an attorney, retired together and moved from Washington, D.C., to Wellfleet in 2001.
Robbie was deeply involved with the Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., first at St. Stephen and the Incarnation, and then at St. Columba’s Church where he was a lay minister. After retirement, he was a lector, lay minister and administer of the healing rite at St. Mary of the Harbor, Provincetown.
Robbie is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sara Moore Robinson. He is also survived by his daughter, Moore, his son, Marshall, his daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and his granddaughter, Aila.
At the time of his death, he was president of the Wellfleet Historical Society, treasurer of the Cape Cod Opera, the only non-singing member of the board of the Outer Cape Chorale, a Freemason and a Shriner. Last year, he and his wife joined dear friends on a guided tour through the Baltic States and Russia.
Robbie loved his family very much and was delighted to meet his adored first grandchild, Aila, in January. Despite his history of chronic illness, his death came suddenly and unexpectedly, and is a great loss for all who knew him for his indomitable good cheer, his delight of conversation and his sheer enjoyment of life. He will be missed tremendously.
A memorial celebration will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, at St. Mary of the Harbor in Provincetown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Wellfleet Historical Society (Attention: Robbie Robinson Fund) at 266 Main St., Wellfleet, MA 02667.
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Edward C. “Babe” Carreiro
Jason Shinder, 52
Kathryn V. Baker, 85
Nathaniel A. Barney, 86; Mary E. Barney, 87
Victor Pacellini, 85
David “Dixie” Federico
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May 8th, 2008