Gerald Lacy Robinson

Gerald's obituary will be placed as soon as it is available and will appear in Sunday's edition of the Columbus Dispatch.Gerald Lacy “Gerry” Robinson, 88, died peacefully at Riverside Methodist Hospital on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, with his wife and one of his children at his side. Professionally accomplished, he will be best remembered for his kind, thoughtful, and gentle spirit, generously shared with all. The only child of Bina Retta (Banta) and Gerald Whitfield Robinson, he was born at home on the family farm at Cotton Branch, near Winchester, Kentucky. Trustworthy from an early age, Gerald’s first job, while in first grade, was to light the morning fires in his two room school house for a nickel a fire. Though industrious, his greatest boyhood passion was playing baseball with the boys in town. He kept his entire life a treasured souvenir baseball signed by a 1930’s Cincinnati Reds team. Demonstrating intellectual gifts from an early age, Gerald passed the Navy's rigorous Radio Technician Selection (“Eddy”) Test while still in high school, and enlisted in 1944 at the age of 17, joining the Navy's elite Electronics Training Program. Following World War II, Gerald furthered his education in engineering. With help from the G.I. bill, he attended the University of Kentucky, and received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1950. Subsequently, while working full time, he earned an M.S. in industrial engineering from New York University in 1957, and a Ph.D. in industrial engineering from The Ohio State University in 1972. Though committed to education and career, Gerald’s greatest lifelong devotion was to his family. While working as a research scientist at The Hazeltine Corporation, Little Neck, New York, Gerald met Marilyn Milburn Rees of Manhasset, NY., a graduate of Syracuse University and a textile designer. They met at The Congregational Church of Manhasset, where they were married in 1953. Gerald and Marilyn settled in Huntington, Long Island, New York, where their three children—Susan, James, and David—were born. In 1962 Gerald’s career brought the family to Upper Arlington, Ohio, where he held positions in engineering administration, planning, and new-product development at Industrial Nucleonics Corporation, and, beginning in 1965, at Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio. Following his early retirement associated with his wife Marilyn’s illness and death from Alzheimer’s disease in 1987, Gerald devoted heart and soul to the fight against Alzheimer’s. He served as president of the Board of The Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio, and served on the organization’s national Board of Directors. In June 1989, Gerald married Anna Marie (Malia) Robinson, a social worker who was then serving as Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio. Gerald was a member of The Institute of Management Sciences, the Operations Research Society of America, Phi Eta Sigma, Eta Kappa Nu, and Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society. He was a member of the Civitan Club (Upper Arlington), coached Little League baseball, and was a member of First Community Church, making and keeping many friends in many walks of life. The family has fond memories of many road trips to Kentucky, visiting relatives and enjoying the many state parks, and of spending summer vacations on Cape Cod, where lifelong friendships were formed. Gerald loved to travel, here in the States, to London, Rome, but most of all to Paris. His focus was history, but more broadly, understanding and appreciating the human condition. He was passionate about politics, understood by him as a means to ensuring and advancing social justice. In addition to his parents, Gerald was preceded in death by his first wife, Marilyn (Rees) Robinson. Gerald will be missed by his loving wife, Anna Marie Robinson; children, Susan (Kenneth) Switzer of Upper Arlington, OH, James (Christena) Robinson of Tulsa, OK, and David (Lorraine) Robinson of Worthington, OH; grandchildren, Brian Switzer of New York, NY, Stephanie Switzer of Chicago, IL, Kurt (Yasmin) Robinson of San Jose, CA, Stacie Robinson of Dallas, TX, Beatrix and William Robinson of Worthington, OH and step-granddaughter Tulia Spurgeon of Worthington, OH; and great-granddaughter Gwendolyn Robinson of San Jose, CA. The family wishes to thank the staff at Trillium Place and Sunrise of Worthington for their warm, attentive, and loving care of Gerald in his later years. Although he endured declining health in his last few years, Gerald would greet anyone with a buoyant spirit and never a complaint. His example of a joyful life lived well, in service of others, will inspire us for the rest of our days. Family will receive friends Saturday, March 7, 2015 from 3 p.m. until the time of the memorial service at 4 p.m. at First Community Church, 1320 Cambridge Blvd., Columbus, OH 43212. A reception will be held in Brownlee Hall immediately following the service. At Gerald’s request, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association Central Ohio Chapter, 1379 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH 43215. Arrangements entrusted to Schoedinger Northwest Chapel. Visit www.schoedinger.com to share memories or condolences.