Saying Goodbye To Barbara

Barbara Robinson lived a GREAT life.

Born outside of Philadelphia, PA USA on June 9, 1931 with sisters Sheila, Louise, Martha, and Robin and brother Bart, she excelled in sports (was captain of her high school field hockey, basketball, and tennis teams her senior year), academics (she was her school's Scholar-Athlete), and medicine (she was a nurse in the Oakland school system for 23 years).

But most of all she excelled at being a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, great aunt, friend.

Married to my grandmother's brother, Duke Robinson, they retired to the Rossmoor section of Walnut Creek, CA USA in April 2000 after many years of Duke's leading Presbyterian Churches in Florida and California.

The opening and closing views of Mt. Diablo are from Duke and Barbara's home's porch. The flowers that lined the podium, she cultivated. The Rose on the front cover of her memorial program she grew. She was a beautiful person (inside and out) and enjoyed beauty all around her.

She was active in Amnesty International and weekly stood on a street corner with her friends from Grandparents for Peace and Justice (and has a photograph on her mantle of her with her peace dove along with the sign, "War Kills Grandchildren").

My Dad says that as a kid, when kissing the relatives goodnight after a long family day, he'd start with Barbara and end… with Barbara, sneaking in one last kiss from this woman who captivated his heart, even as a young boy. This video is his tribute to her, created at her memorial service attended by over 400 persons on November 7, 2008 in Rossmoor.

Duke and Barb often visited us, and the family always gathered to see them. Duke officiated at my parents' wedding (and the wedding of my aunts Melanie and Nancy and I'm sure countless cousins too), and they are both deeply loved by our family.

Perhaps this short video will give you a glimpse into Barbara's rich life. I dedicate the song, How Could I Ever Know, to Barbara and Duke.

Liz

Great Aunt Ella, Great Aunt Barb, Great Uncle Duke, Gravie, Great Aunt May at Duke and Barbara's Wedding

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