Shirley Ann Robinson

On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Shirley Ann Krug Robinson of Belle Isle, Florida, went to dwell with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and certainly heard the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Shirley grew up along the ridge of Florida in Haines City, on a lakefront citrus grove. She was born, however, in Lake Wales since Haines City was too rural then for a hospital. A true native Floridian, her parents Harold and Verna Krug married during a hurricane. She played the clarinet in the Haines City High School marching band and attended Florida Southern College. Her first date with Mark was a classic: the Colombia Restaurant in Ybor City. The ropa vieja and Mark’s quiet charm made a magic that lasted 59 years. When they were first married, Mark told Shirley to pick a house she wanted to stay in, quoting the saying, “Three moves equals a fire.” She must have picked well because they still own the house they built in Lake Conway Estates in 1964.

Shirley and Mark were dedicated members of Pine Castle United Methodist Church since 1966, rarely missing a Sunday, except when they were traveling. Shirley lived out her faith, embracing a life of service to her family, her church, and her community. She was an attentive mother to her two children Elizabeth (Betsy) and Mark, driving them to endless activities and serving as a PTA leader and volunteer at each of their schools. In the early 1980s, she began working as a financial secretary at Pine Castle UMC. This job gave her the opportunity to get involved in many of the ministries supported by the church and into her eighties, she continued to devote her time to New Life Zambia and the Foundation for Life.

Shirley quickly discovered everything grows well in Florida with a little love and fertilizer. Family meals included home-grown citrus, avocados, bananas, and pineapples. But her favorites were her orchids. She served as the President of the Central Florida Orchid Society and persuaded her husband, Mark, to become an American Orchid Society judge. Ritter’s Orchids even named a new orchid cross after her, Vanda Shirleyanna. A special thanks to Kara Bedard, Chris Stalder, Teri Robinson, and Rosalind Barnabee for helping save her orchids from the winter freeze. This small act made her very happy.

Anyone who knew Shirley knew that she loved to travel. In addition to the family road trips in the trusty station wagon, she taught her children to collect National Park stamps. These ranged from exotic-sounding places like the Petrified Forest and Carlsbad Caverns to her favorite, Bryce Canyon. As an adult, she collected passport stamps from every continent, except Antarctica. She introduced another generation to the joys of travel by inviting her grandchildren to join her on several Caribbean cruises.

She is survived by her husband, Mark Robinson, her two children, Elizabeth Robinson Gieseking and Mark H Robinson, their spouses, Steve Gieseking and Teri Robinson, four grandchildren, Rebecca Morris Gieseking, Christina Ehlmann, Robin Gieseking, and Nathaniel Gieseking, and two grandsons-in-law, Ben Morris and Daniel Ehlmann.

Her last words to us were, “I love you both.” We love you, Mom.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Belle Isle Community Church on Friday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Belle Isle Community Church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnfuneralhomegotha.com for the Robinson family.