Paul Robinson Obituary

PAUL M. ROBINSON, JR. Passed away peacefully on August 16, 2011 at Mt Vernon Nursing and Rehab Center. He was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on December 28, 1922, the son of Paul M. and Ethel (Lowe) Robinson. Paul had an early love of flying and soloed at Latrobe airport at age 16. He graduated from Greensburg High School in 1940. At the age of 18, he was a CAA Ground School Instructor and he especially loved teaching the nuns at St Vincent College in Latrobe. He was a member of the "split class of 1944" at MIT; college was interrupted by service in the Air Force for two years during WWII. While at MIT, Paul was a member of the MIT chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha and the swim team. He worked as an Aeronautical Engineer for Grumman Aircraft and for Republic Aviation Corporation. He earned a Masters in Public Law and Government from Columbia University in 1955. After teaching at Tabor Academy in Marion, MA, he moved to Northern Virginia in 1957 where he began his career as a civilian program analyst for the Navy Department at the Pentagon and stayed with the Navy until he retired from the Naval Data Automation Command at the Navy Yard in 1994. A resident of West Springfield, VA for the past 52 years, Paul was very involved in politics and civics. He met his wife while they were both members of the West Side Democratic Club in New York City, working against Tammany Hall. Paul was Founder and President of the West Springfield Civic Association; President of the Washington,D.C. MIT Club; Founder and President of Fathers United for Equal Rights and Women's Coalition; a volunteer for the Children's Rights Council; usher at the Arena Stage, and a founding member of the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church. He was married to Camilla Bolitho Ryall from 1952 to 1970. His nephew, Jim Robinson, looked after him for the last two years of his life. He is survived by children, Mark (Regenia) Robinson, Ann (Jim) Goggin, Timothy Robinson, and Jane Robinson; grandchildren Quinn and Riley Robinson; Jennifer, Caroline, and Shannon Goggin; Kailan and Keo Robinson; William Carlyle; brother David Lowe (Colleen) Robinson; and 11 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Sara Lowe Bitler (2011), brother Richard Rhea Robinson (1972), and beloved niece, Susan Bitler Phelps (2002). A memorial service will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 28 at the Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, 10125 Lakehaven Court, Burke, VA. Flowers at the church for the memorial service are welcomed or, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church, National Public Radio, or Amnesty International or Messiah Methodist Church Springfield VA