Betty Alice Robinson

Betty Alice Robinson, 97, died on March 19, 2019, in Chandler. She leaves behind daughter Sandra and her husband Stephen Marinella of Chandler; son Charles Robinson and his wife Meg Trauner of Durham, NC; and daughter-in-law Vanja Paradinovic-Robinson of St. Petersburg, FL, wife of first son Lester Lee Robinson, who passed away in 2007.

Betty also leaves grandchildren Julia Robinson; Lisa Robinson (Michael Tustin); Matthew Marinella (Keely); Zach Marinella (Jordyn Raimondo); Darja DeFranco (Luke); and great-grandchildren Macy and Steven Marinella, Harper Marinella, Anne-Bonnie and Mary-Reid Tustin. She leaves many friends as well including Edna Marinella, the Raimondo family, the Fuller family, Terry Bergeron, her Stephen Minister—Nellie Amedee, and her close friends from her church in Mesa and The Gardens at Ocotillo in Chandler.

Born on June 15, 1921, to Russell F. and Rosa Bond Doren, Betty grew up in Richmond, IN, with younger sister Dorothy (Kramer) and younger brothers Lewis, Russell Jr., and Herbert Doren, all deceased.

She married Lester L. Robinson in January 1943, following his graduation as a mechanical engineer from Purdue University. They began a life and family together that took them to South Bend, IN; Hartford, CT; Indianapolis, IN for several decades; and Derby, England for several years. In 1981, they moved to Chandler, AZ. There Les helped Steve Marinella to found AeroSpec, Inc., while Betty pursued her favorite pastime of caring for her family. She was a greatly loved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Before Les passed in 2015, the couple celebrated 72 years of a loving and devoted marriage.

Many of Betty’s closest friendships came from an active church life at Southport United Methodist Church in Indianapolis and St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Mesa. A strong believer in people’s need for friendship, Betty often created or joined church groups that promoted community, service, and support for those in need.

Betty will be dearly missed by family and friends who loved her welcoming kindness, her natural graciousness, her goodness, and her consideration for all. She was always there when family or friends needed a wise and sympathetic listener. Her spirit of kindness and grace will live on in all who were blessed to share her life. If you would like to honor Betty, the family requests that contributions be made to St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Mesa.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at St. Matthew United Methodist Church, 2540 W Baseline Road in Mesa.