Robin Marie Ann (Fabiano) Penn

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Robin Raise Me Up, a project to inspire filmmakers as mentors to teach and help children to make short films about positive values they and Robin believe, are much appreciated. This is a project of Foster Friends Films and Projects, a non-profit 501-c3 organization, and its sister project, Heart Gallery Films, under development as short documentary films featuring foster children and international children available for adoption and their stories.

To contribute to Robin Raise Me Up, donations may be made to www.fosterfriendsfilms.org.

A LOVING TRIBUTE TO ROBIN MARIE ANN (FABIANO) PENN

Mrs. Robin Marie Ann Fabiano Penn entered into Eternal Life on Sunday, February 18, 2018. She resides in Orlando, Florida, where she moved with her newlywed husband, David Penn, and her Mom, Mrs. Doris Vanasse Fabiano, in 1993, from their native Rhode Island. Born on December 27, 1959 to her Mom and Dad, Vito Guido Fabiano, she was a fun-loving child born in the last four days of the 1950’s decade. In Heaven, she joins God, her Father, Mother, Sister Tina Marie Fabiano, Godparents John Fabiano and Marie Fabiano Tella, Maternal Grandparents Anna Cote Vanasse (native of Canada) and Peter Vanasse (native of Canada), Paternal Grandparents Goldie Waycott Fabiano (native of England) and Fortunato Fabiano (native of Calabria, Italy), Grandmother-in-law Ruth Marie Phillips Place (native of Rhode Island), Brother-in-law Christopher Laurent (native of Rhode Island), and Sister-in-law Susan Pennacchia (native of Rhode Island).

She is celebrated in love and adoration by her Husband of 25 years, Emmy-winner Dr. David Robert Voyle Penn, Daughter Audrey Ruth Martha Penn, Son Arthur James Christian Penn, Son Jack Vito John Paul Penn, and Sister Cheryl Fabiano Laurent.

She worships and is treasured for her love as Godmother to Kristin Bekier, Bernie Taft, Nicholas Manfre, Sabrina Cortes, and Jayden Manke.

She loves and is revered by her mother-in-law Janet Levasseur, her father-in-law Normand Levasseur, her Aunt Rita Steele, her Uncle Jimmy Steele, her sisters-in-law Deborah Pennacchia, Susan Leitao Pennacchia, Kerri Levasseur Simons, and Leslee Levasseur, her brothers-in-law Anthony Pennacchia, Michael Pennacchia, and Michael Levasseur, who became Robin and David’s best man at their wedding.

She loves and cherishes her Fabiano family, Vanasse family, and all the many Aunts, Uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and close friends of her family.

She loves and values her dogs and cats over the years, including dogs Chowdy, Nala, Crystal, and Lucky Rocky, and cats Ashley, Patches, Simba, Pumpkin, Mittens, and Stewie.

Robin loves her daughter Audrey Ruth Penn for her positive energy, positive attitude, gentle spirit, strong love for helping others, including senior citizens, sense of being organized and handy with fixing things like me (Robin), how she loves to write positive messages, how she was a top 30 contestant among 300 contestants for Miss Teen, how she has successfully cooked many of my dishes that I taught her, how she is the first recipient in Florida of the full public college/university scholarship for former foster children and earned the scholarship through her successful studies, her graceful beauty, her aspirations, and her faith in God.

Robin loves her son Arthur James Penn for his sweet demeanor, sweet voice, honest feelings, his love for lawn mowers and yard equipment, his being the highest scoring bowler for the junior varsity high school team, the county varsity bowling competition, and various Special Olympics bowling competitions, his constant help for others, his friendliness, his cute charm, his hugs, his aspirations, and his quality time together, including watching movies.

Robin loves her son Jack Vito Penn for his sense of humor, way of helping, logical way of looking at things like me (Robin), being the first person to take on Pope John Paul’s name as his Catholic confirmation name immediately after Pope John Paul became a saint, his singing talent, his acting talent, his multiple awards and musical talent with the clarinet, his aspirations, his handsome charm, his confidence, and his grounded emotions and maturity.

Robin met David after mutual friend and co-worker Robin Tunks (who became maid of honor at Robin and David’s wedding) brought them together where they worked at the Providence Marriott Hotel. David was a manager of one department and treated all of his employees on a free trip to Montreal, Canada, including Robin Tunks, and asked Tunks to bring her friend Robin Fabiano along.

Robin Fabiano and David had a memorable dinner over a restaurant with fettuccine alfredo and became friends. Later, they began dating, and at the time, David and Robin were encouraged by the courtship and long successful marriage of President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush, who were married for 46 years at the time, and the long successful marriage of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, who were married for 34 years at the time, and went on to be married for 50 years. President and Mrs. Bush have now had the longest marriage in presidential history after 73 years. Because David and Robin have relatives from five of the six New England states, they decided to honeymoon in Burlington, Vermont, the only state where they do not have relatives (and when Bernie Sanders was the local mayor), and in Montreal, Canada, where they first had their friendly date. They toured the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory on their honeymoon too.

Robin loves music and especially the songs “You Raise Me Up” sung by Josh Groban, “Lost in Your Eyes” sung by Debbie Gibson, “Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?” sung by Rod Stewart, and most songs by Barry Manilow and Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam.

Robin loves “Let’s Just Fall in Love Again” sung by American Idol Jason Castro, after she met Jason, Mandy, and Madeline Castro in 2014, and became friends with Mandy. She made an anniversary plaque for David by handwriting the lyrics to this song and displayed their wedding photos on it as a gift. She loves listening to Jason’s Christian music sung with his siblings too.

Her favorite books include her journals, The Bible and The Christmas Shoes series, and books about Heaven. She loves Ann Geddes’ photography. She loves romantic movies, comedic movies, Christmas movies, scary movies, every Tyler Perry play and movie, and Hallmark movies. Her favorite movies include Babycakes starring Ricki Lake and Craig Sheffer, about a boy meets girl story that she believes resembles her romance with David and The Bodyguard for similar reasons and because she and David saw that on their honeymoon. She loves the film Up Close and Personal and especially its song “Because You Loved Me” as sung by Celine Dion. She loves My Big Fat Greek Wedding and especially the line in the film when Toula, the female lead, says she has 27 first cousins. At the time of Robin and David’s wedding, Robin had 27 cousins. The passions and emotions of these families are similarly loving and humorous in their quest to care and connect with one another.

Robin loves the television shows Daily Bumps, Everybody Loves Raymond, Roseanne, Mama’s Family, and Criminal Minds, which starts her fan-crush actor Shemar Moore. When she receives or buys items featuring Shemar Moore, Robin compensates by getting David items featuring his fan-crush Mariah Carey.

Her kindness, sense of humility, care for others, and especially children, and her sense of humor are her greatest gifts.

She was a poker champion among scientists and other leaders during a memorable vacation retreat.

She began her career as a baker in Providence, Rhode Island for several years, and later became a long-term employee of Marriott Hotels, where she eventually became a supervisor and trainer for Marriott Hotels, and then went to college to become a teacher and learning center director of a preschool, after school, and summer camp that she founded. She won an award for being the preschool director of the millennium. She became a children’s museum educator as part of major 21st Century Learning Center grant. She served as a teacher for over 14 years. She lived in Providence, Rhode Island, Orlando, Tampa, and Seminole, Florida, before coming home to Orlando, Florida.

She loves being an adoption advocate and whether volunteering for the Heart Gallery or speaking to many prospective adoptive parents, she lent her successful story as an adoptive mother to three wonderful children that led to a front page story in the Tampa Tribune and resulted in more than 65 families filing to adopt children. She went on to help more than 100 couples with adoption advice and information on their parenting journey.

Robin was raised Catholic and continues to practice her faith. She loves Father Kent Walker, the singing priest who she and David followed from 25 years ago at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Orlando, to being trained as Eucharistic ministers at his church in Brevard County, and then again for the past many years at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Cloud, Florida, where he presently presides. Father Kent’s songs always cheer her, and when she could, she always tried to sit in the front row at our church picnics to see him sing. She loves when Father Kent sings “Mary, Did you Know?” Father Kent also presided over the communions and confirmations of Audrey, Arthur, and Jack, the baptism of Nicholas, her Godson with David, the baptism of Sabrina, her Goddaughter with David, and the renewal of Robin and David’s 10th wedding anniversary vows in 2002. She loves Pastor Claribel Hernandez Colon, whose grace and healing powers saved her at Christmastime in 2013, and whose presence always cheers her and makes her feel beautiful.

Robin loves travelling, going to the beach, doing jigsaw puzzles and crossword puzzles, cheering on the New England Patriots, collecting angels, her favorite teddy bear Paws from Harvard, cooking Italian food, grilled chicken specialties, and baking Christmas cookies as gifts, celebrating Christmas, playing in snow, going to comedy clubs, and helping and playing with children.

She loves her Italian heritage, and always knew she was Italian, French, English, and Canadian Indian. Her sister Cheryl traced their ancestry recently, and they learned they are also Irish, Scottish, Welch, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, African, and Middle Eastern.

Married on December 26, the anniversary of David’s paternal grandparents, Alfred and Yvonne Levasseur, Robin and Dave love the Christmas season and that Jesus is the reason for the season. Robin’s birthday is on December 27, and with David’s on July 27, 27 is their lucky number. Celebrating three days from December 25, December 26, and December 27, Robin’s birthday, is not enough so they also keep their tree up and celebrate until the Feast of the Epiphany/Three Kings Day on January 6th along with teaching their children about Kwanzaa.

Robin loved her proposal from David that was held at Camden Avenue Elementary School in Providence, where David and Robin were teaching as volunteers for a Junior Achievement program as part of the Marriott Adopt-a-School program David operated. David had all the fifth grade boys get on one knee aside of the fifth grade girls and when Robin walked in the classroom, all the boys exclaimed, “Will you marry me?” The teachers were in on this and called the media, who covered this in print and on the TV news. It was the third promotion to help this school after two other events David and Robin planned. That year, this inner-city school where Robin, Cheryl, and Godson Bernie all graduated as students, was blessed by their efforts with a visit from Arnold Schwarzenegger exercising and promoting President Bush’s Council on Physical Fitness and Academics and the musical group New Kids on the Block sponsoring a drug prevention “Say No to Drugs” essay contest and campaign for art scholarships.

In her journal writings, Robin listed these as her top 10 favorite things she and David did together and

then read them to David:

Adopted and Raised Audrey

Adopted and Raised Arthur

Adopted and Raised Jack

Made our home one of love

Became Eucharistic ministers

Travelled to Colorado

Time at Harvard, including commencement ceremony

The christenings of Audrey, Arthur, and Jack

Travelled to see snow in Georgia with our children

Many travel trips to Cherokee, NC, and the Smoky Mountains

In her journal, Robin recently wrote that she loves these things about David and then read them to David together:

You helped raise three wonderful children, you look to the better things in life, you’re funny as anything, enthusiastic, you help me see the better side of things, your love of music, how you take care of Aryana and Jayden, your love for animals, view on adopting children, thrive for education, thoughtfulness, creativity, perseverance, religious views, you like to have fun, you help me when I’m struggling, and you take care of your family.

In their journal, David recently wrote these qualities he loves about Robin and then read them to Robin together:

I love you. I believe in you. Your positive thoughts. You taught me to live for one day at a time. You ground me. I am grateful for you, our children, and God. One day at a time, sweet Jesus. Sharing journal time with the Mrs. is nice!! 

In his 2018 Valentine’s letter to Robin, David wrote and read this to Robin:

Here are my favorite things (just some) of the traits I love about you:

You are patient, loving unconditionally, your humor, soft sweet demeanor, healthy cooking, love for travel, joining me to adopt three awesome children, your love of pets, your love of helping and being around children, your Italian heritage, and your faith.

In her recent inspirational journal writings, Robin wrote that she is grateful for these special 27 aspects of life:

Angels

Audrey’s patience and positive perspective

David and how we complement each other

Facebooking my friends

God

How Arthur is sweet and helpful

How David helps me and makes me see the better side of things in life

How I was brought up

I cherish our wedding vows and our marriage

Music

My animals

My faith

My family

My friends

My getting back in touch with God

My Godson Jayden celebrating his 5th birthday and how David and I care for Aryana and Jayden

My life

My sense of humor

People that help other people

Talking to by big sis every day

Texting and talking to my family and friends

The confident kind young man Jack has become

Visits from Robin Tunks and Heather

Volunteering and helping finishing a short film about adoption

Waking up

We raised three wonderful children

What God has given me

A private family viewing was held on Friday, February 23, 2018, at Family Funeral Care in Hunter’s Creek in Robin’s neighborhood.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church Chapel, 700 Brown Chapel Road, St. Cloud, Florida, on Saturday, March 10th at 1:00 pm. followed by a social gathering. Cremains will be present.

A Memorial Mass will also be held at St. Timothy’s Church, 1799 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, Rhode Island, on Saturday, March 17th, at 11:00 a.m. followed by a social gathering. Cremains will be present at this church beginning at 10:00 a.m. before Mass.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Robin Raise Me Up, a project to inspire filmmakers as mentors to teach and help children to make short films about positive values they and Robin believe, are much appreciated. This is a project of Foster Friends Films and Projects, a non-profit 501-c3 organization, and its sister project, Heart Gallery Films, under development as short documentary films featuring foster children and international children available for adoption and their stories.

To contribute to Robin Raise Me Up, donations may be made to www.fosterfriendsfilms.org.