John Robinson Sr.

John Allen (“Robby”) Robinson, Sr., age 86, passed away peacefully at his home in Houston on December 3, 2013 surrounded by his loving family. John was born July 13, 1927 at his grandmother’s home “Sunnybrook Farm” on Old Galveston Road near Broadway. His parents, Albert Call and Annie Ahrens Robinson later built their home at 2615 Galveston Road, where he grew up. He attended Park Place Elementary School, Deady Junior High, and Milby High School. In 1944 he joined the Army Reserves and after graduating from Milby in 1945 was sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training. He was ultimately stationed at Brooks General Hospital in San Antonio where he served as a dental technician. He was honorably discharged in 1946.John returned home and enrolled in The University of Houston, but soon left school to work as a journeyman electrician in the family business, A.C. Robinson Electric Company. In 1947 while on a blind double-date, he fell in love with Bertha Lee (“Lee”) Beard, who was unfortunately his friend’s date that evening. But that didn’t stop John. John and Lee began a wonderful courtship and married September 3, 1948 at Epworth Methodist Church in Houston. He continued working in the family business until 1952 when he started his own business, Robinson Electric, wiring homes and commercial buildings throughout the Greater Houston area. In 1954 to better support his growing family in their new GI home, John began pulling double duty. In addition to his electrical business, he joined ILA 1351 and worked as an on-call clerk at the Port of Houston.In 1958 he closed his electrical business and began working full-time at the Port. John excelled at his job and soon became the youngest chief clerk at the Port of Houston working for Hansen, Tidemann & Dalton Steamship Co., Inc. In the early 1960’s Dalton left the Port and John became a clerk for Southern Stevedoring Company. The owner quickly noticed John’s capabilities and sent him to Galveston to run the company’s banana docks. Approximately three years later, John was recruited to work as Chief Clerk for T. Smith Stevedores at the Port of Houston where he and close friend Raymond Bourgeois opened the office at City 16. John expected much of his employees, yet was a very compassionate man. The men who worked for him were his second family and their families became his concern. John loved the challenge of working steel and knowing the dangers of the ship’s hole, he came up with the idea of providing walkie-talkies to clerks working below. He remained Chief Clerk for Port Cooper T. Smith until his retirement in 1995. Upon his retirement, John was so respected that he was honored with a dinner and commemorative pin, which was atypical for a retiring labor employee at that time. After retirement, a new form of work began. He was chosen as the first labor observer to the West Gulf Maritime Association ILA Pension Welfare and Vacation Funds Board in 1997 and in 2008 was made a Trustee of the Board. He also spent 18 years on the Retirees Steering Committee of ILA 1351, from its inception until 2012. Outside of work and family at home, John was a 32° Mason at Park Place Lodge 1172, the same Lodge where in 1927 his father and uncle became the first and second members, and a member of the Scottish Rite and Arabia Shriners. After retirement, John drove a van for Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. He often said that his biggest thrill was seeing the children recognize his Fez and come to him with smiles and arms wide open for a hug. For 27 years, John was the lighting director for the annual Confederate Ball held at River Oaks Country Club and in 2008 he and Lee were the Ball’s Honorary Chairmen. John loved fishing. He grew up fishing, but the fishing trip to Alaska with his son-in-law and trip to Minnesota with his son were definite highpoints. He also enjoyed tinkering in his over-sized garage and was a handyman extraordinaire, but was most proud of the construction of his home in 1966. John was a believer in good education and always regretted having to leave U of H without a degree. Therefore, he enrolled in San Jacinto College and in 1974 crossed the stage to receive his Associates Degree in Business with his family looking on. John is predeceased by his eldest son, John Allen Robinson, Jr. and son-in-law Bobby C. Edens. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Bertha Lee Robinson; his son and daughter-in-law, Jack C. and Teresa Robinson; his daughter, Renee Edens; and his grandchildren Trenton J. Robinson and Christen Edens; step-grandson Alex Wolcott; and his loving caretaker Sandy Brock. Services were held Monday, December 9, 2013 at Forest Park Lawndale. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in John’s memory to Shiner’s Children’s Hospital – Houston.