Reed Call Robinson

A funeral service for Reed will be held Friday, February 9, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 23800 Washington Avenue, Murrieta, CA 92562. A viewing will be held at the same location at 10:00 AM. A committal service will occur Monday, February 12, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92518.

Shortly after the onset of the Great Depression, Reed Call Robinson was born January 29, 1930 in Salt Lake City, Utah, son of Darwin Glenn Robinson (painter/wallpaperer) and Edith Call Robinson (beautician). Reed was the second of 6 children, Douglas, Joann, Jerry, Romaine and Kathryn. According to Reed: “I was very poor, but I didn’t know it, because I was busy having fun with my friends from Harrison Av across the way. We went to movies for 5 cents or a milk carton, ate apples, took piano lessons and played games.”

At age 11, Glenn Robinson decided to move the family to So Cal for better job opportunities. He packed up all his tools and the 3 boys in the old rumble seat Chevrolet and after what seemed like forever they arrived at Uncle Newell’s home in Lynwood, CA. Mom and the girls followed a few weeks later by Greyhound bus. The combined families, 14 in all, lived together in the 3 bedroom, 1 bath home, with several boys living in the converted garage.

Under a negotiated deal with the contractor, Glenn and Uncle Newel painted and plastered a new home under construction at 12225 Julius Ave, Downey, CA. This allowed Glenn to purchase the home for the grand total of $3,900. The children all grew up at this home. Glenn and Edith remained there until Glenn’s death in 1979.

During his senior year at Downey High School, Reed was starting center for the Downey High football team. In addition, Reed’s popularity and leadership skills got him elected Student Body President. Upon graduation, Reed went on to play football for 3 years at Fullerton Junior College. He then went on to USC, but the Korean War interrupted those plans and he was drafted into the Army.

During basic training in San Luis Obispo, Reed was injured by a concussion grenade forcing him to spend 30 days in the hospital with a shattered right ear drum and burns on his right side and arm. Reed would later refer to this injury as the “million dollar wound” because upon healing he was sent to France rather than to the front lines in Korea.

After honorable discharge, Reed returned to USC, graduating with a BS in Business. He also joined the Southern CA Mormon Choir. There he met Marcia Lee Davies and they married in the Los Angeles LDS Temple on October 19, 1956. Reed and Marcia lived in an apartment in Downey, CA where Reed went to work for Autonetics, a division of North American Aviation. Marcia worked as a Dental Assistant. In 1958, Reed and Marcia purchased their first home near Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.

By 1965, to accommodate their growing family with 3 children ages 3 - 7, Reed and Marcia sold the Buena Park home and purchased a brand new spacious 2-story, 5 br/3 ba home at 5301 Kentwater in Yorba Linda. Reed’s brother Jerry also purchased a home in the same tract, joining up with family friends Warren and Joan Sircable.

Reed and Marcia ultimately had 4 children, Dennis, David, Lisa and Alan. The move to Yorba Linda proved a true blessing to Reed and Marcia’s kids. The Robinsons, Sircables, Von Zaberns, Wolocatiuks, Perkins, Kittlesons, DiLeos and several other families grew up together over the years, with each mother serving as a neighborhood mom to keep a lid on things, wherever the mischief might unfold (and yes, “mischief” is an understatement).

While working as a Strategic Planner at Autonetics, Reed earned an MBA at USC. After 15 years, Reed was recruited by Security Pacific National Bank in Los Angeles where he worked for 2 years developing their strategic business plan. It was during this time that Reed developed heart problems and had bypass surgery. But he quickly healed and got back to work.

Reed was then recruited by R&G Sloane in Sun Valley, CA. He worked as strategic planner and asst to the president. After 2 years, Reed was transferred to Denver, CO to develop a strategic plan for R&G Sloane’s parent company, Rockwell Inc. During this time, Reed flew to Denver on Sunday and returned home to Yorba Linda on Friday.

After 2 years in Denver, Reed left Sloane, returned home and opened his own business, Robinson Financial Services with offices in Placentia, CA and Palm Desert, CA. Reed and partners developed real estate investments and were very successful. However, a real estate crash eventually destroyed equity and the business failed. From then on, Reed limited his work to income tax consulting and serving on the board of directors at Sterling Bank of Los Angeles.

As the kids grew older and graduated high school, Reed and Marcia worked to support their 3 sons on LDS missions…Dennis serving in Manila, Philippines, David serving in Osorno, Chile and Alan serving in the French West Indies. Lisa completed medical assistant school, following up later in life finishing her 4-year degree to become a Registered Nurse. Reed and Marcia were proud to see all 4 children become self-sufficient and have successful careers.

After becoming empty-nesters, Reed and Marcia sold the Yorba Linda home, moving first to Moreno Valley, CA, then finally settling in Hemet, CA. It was while living in Hemet that Marcia was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Marcia passed away in January 2013. Reed was not an overtly emotional person, but from time to time thereafter, he would confide in his children that he really missed Marcia deeply.

Reed loved playing golf and rooting for his favorite team, the USC Trojans. Through this love of golf, Reed became good friends with Marty Farber and Claude Turner, both of Palm Desert, CA. Claude’s sister…Dara Hunter…and Reed hit it off, spending time golfing and playing cards with friends in Palm Desert.

Later on, Dara relocated to Redondo Beach to be closer to her family. Reed eventually followed suit. Deciding to downsize, Reed sold his Hemet home and moved to an apartment in Fullerton to be closer to his brother Jerry in Yorba Linda and Dara in Redondo Beach. Reed always said he enjoyed living in Fullerton because it felt like home…he was literally 1 block from his alma mater, Fullerton College. Reed also very much cherished visits from his relatives who lived nearby…Jerry & Margaret Robinson, Denzil & Nancy Merrill and George & Dixie Davies.

Reed and Dara spent these golden years playing their favorite card game “Hand and Foot”. They did a number of cruises together, visiting exotic places like Panama, Belize, Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean. They also did several bus tours to the Western US and local casinos. Reed also traveled with son Dennis, fulfilling a lifelong dream to visit Washington, DC. They saw the Smithsonian, The White House, Lincoln Monument, Washington Monument and the War Memorials.

It was during these travel years in 2019 that Reed’s youngest son, Alan, lost his long battle with brain cancer. This devastating loss, in addition to that of Marcia, weighed heavily on Reed’s strong heart, both figuratively and literally. You see, up to that point Reed’s heart had already been through 2 bypass surgeries and a stent procedure. However, Reed healed and his patched-up heart soldiered on as he continued to outlive his friends and loved ones.

A few years later, around the time of Dara’s passing in 2021, Reed relocated to Murrieta, CA to be closer to son David and niece Karen Sweetnam. He always looked forward with great anticipation to USC football season. His favorite pastime was visiting the local Denny’s for breakfast at precisely 6 am daily. Reed befriended servers like Nikki and Tara who took good care of him. Reed always wore his Korean War Veteran cap, often receiving free breakfasts from generous customers, something that he really appreciated.

Reed Robinson passed away peacefully at home with family members present on Friday, January 26, 2024 just three days short of his 94th birthday. Reed was preceded in death by Glenn (father), Edith (mother), Doug (brother), Joann (sister), Romaine (sister), Marcia (wife), Alan (son). Reed is survived by Jerry (brother), Kathryn (sister), George & Dixie Davies (brother & sister in-law), Denzil & Nancy Merrill (brother & sister in-law), Dennis (son), David (son), Lisa (daughter) plus 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Reed out-lived and left behind many, many dear friends all of whom loved Reed and his great sense of humor. Reed lived a blessed life creating a wonderful legacy full of memories…he will be missed always but never, ever forgotten.