Ray R. Robinson, 86, of Martinsville, Ohio passed away Saturday, December 5, 2020 at Salyer Adult Group Home in Hillsboro. He was born June 24, 1934, a son of the late Charles Edward Robinson and the late Mary Etta Stephenson Robinson, who died Ray’s senior year in school.
One of eleven children, Ray grew up on the family’s farm on Gano Road near Port William, Ohio. They worked their farm with horses and always had cows to milk. Ray always said they were poor as Job’s turkey. He also said they had a good life. He always found something to be happy about.
He graduated from Wilmington High School in 1953 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He went from the farm to Camp Pendleton, California and from California to Korea. He spent two cold winters in Korea during the war and said he never wanted to go overseas ever again.
He returned home in 1956 took a job at the Irwin Auger Bit Company in Wilmington. On October 3, 1957 he married his bride, Carole R. Dunseith Robinson. Carole passed away March 4, 2017. They had three children, Rayetta, Robin, and Ryan. Later in years, they also helped raise Carol Holbert and loved her like their own.
Ray did many side jobs through the years. He sold Mason shoes, worked on a dairy farm, was the clerk of courts for Martinsville, and worked for Mike Woodell’s carpet cleaning business all while working his full-time job at Irwin Auger Bit. He retired from Irwin Auger Bit after working there for 30 years. A new job opportunity at O.D.O.T. came along and he worked there for 28 years. As if that wasn’t enough, he began working at Airborne Express through the night while still working at O.D.O.T. He retired from Airborne after 16 years.
Ray loved to fish, play horseshoes, and gamble at the casino. He was a coin collector, raised pigeons as a boy, lifted weights, and enjoyed boxing. He was one of the most enthusiastic people you would ever want to meet in life. He always said you will rust away before you wear out and it’s not the things you do in life that you will regret - It’s the things that you let get past you!
Ray is survived by a daughter, Robin (Jeff) Nichols of Martinsville, Ohio; a son, Ryan Robinson of Martinsville, Ohio; two brothers, Charles Robinson of Piketon, Ohio and Marion (Dottie) Robinson of Tavares, Florida; a sister, Mildred Lee of Xenia, Ohio; three grandchildren, Donna Storer, Jenna Nichols, and James Richard Robinson; one great-grandchild, Aaron Robinson; and a nephew, Jimmy Robinson.
In addition to his wife and parents, a daughter, Rayetta Robinson, four brothers, Carl Robinson, Kenneth Robinson, Gail Robinson, and Frank Robinson, and three sisters, Evelyn Michaelson, Mary Williams, and June Foster, are preceded in death.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Friday, December 11, 2020 at the Reynolds-Smith Funeral Home, 327 N. South Street, Wilmington, Ohio. A funeral service with Craig Dawley officiating will begin at 1:00 PM, Friday. Pallbearers will be Jeff Nichols, Terry Robinson, Mike Woodell, Cecil Meade, Mark Flora, and Forest Allan. Burial will be in Martinsville I.O.O.F. Cemetery with military honors provided by the United States Marine Corps and the American Legion Post 49 Honor Guard.
Ray’s family would like to extend a special thank you the Clark Township Life Squad, Salyer Adult Group Home, and Hospice of Hope for the help and care provided to Ray.
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