Lawrence E. Robinson

Lawrence Ernest Robinson passed away at his home surrounded by family on June 11, 2015 after a five year battle with melanoma. Dad was born in Tacoma, WA. on April 30, 1934 to Ernest and Winifred (Booth) Robinson. He grew up in Tacoma and attended Lincoln High School, where he was very active in sports. He lettered multiple years in football and baseball. Dad met Doris Ormsby at Lincoln and they became high school sweet hearts.

Dad joined the U.S. Navy shortly after graduating in 1953, and went to basic training in San Diego, CA. He returned home briefly after basic in June and asked Mom to marry him on her 18th birthday. Dad was then deployed to Japan and assigned to Atsugi Naval Air Base where he was trained and worked as a load master. Dad traveled by air all across the Pacific Rim to the Philippines, China, Formosa, and many other countries. He was also able to pursue one of his greatest passions, baseball. Dad was a pitcher for the Atsugi Flyers, the U.S. Navy baseball team which played many of the professional Japanese teams around the country. While dad was overseas, Mom graduated in 1954 and was accepted into the Tacoma General School of Nursing. Dad was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1957 and returned home to Tacoma, where he remained in the Naval Reserves until 1960.

Dad married Mom, the love of his life, on her 21st birthday and they settled in Parkland, WA. where their son Dave was born in 1959. Dad entered a career in law enforcement in 1960 joining the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Second son Jim came along in 1962. In 1963 Dad accepted a patrol officer position with the Enumclaw Police Department where the family moved to soon after. Dad continued to work for the police department for 27 years, finally retiring in 1990. He attained the rank of Detective Lieutenant and served as acting interim chief prior to retiring. Dad also went back to school while he worked, receiving his Master’s Degree in Political Science from Pacific Lutheran University in 1982. Mom worked as an RN at the Enumclaw Medical Surgical Clinic for 27 years until she retired in 1992, when they moved to the Nile Valley on Chinook Pass. There they built a beautiful log home on 5 acres and soon registered the property with the National and State Wildlife Federation as a “Backyard Wildlife Habitat”.

Dad was very active, joining the Audubon Society, the Chinook Pass Lions Club, and served as a volunteer to the Oak Creek Wildlife Refuge for 23 years, Dad was well known for building and maintaining Blue Bird houses for the Audubon Society. Dad also volunteered with the Meals on Wheels program through the Lions Club where he helped serve food for seniors in Naches. Dad rarely missed a baseball or football game during the season and was a diehard NASCAR Kasey Kahne fan. He enjoyed bow hunting for deer and elk with Jim, and was always in the Pot Holes duck hunting or fishing somewhere with Dave and the dogs. Dad and Mom enjoyed living in their paradise on the Nile, gardening and birdwatching. When the urge hit, they could be found and one of their favorite casinos.

Dad was intent on making to his 58th anniversary with Mom, and her 79th birthday, which he did. Dad was preceded in death by his mother and father. He is survived by his wife Doris; eldest son Dave (Cindy), their children Max and Jolie; Jim (Lora), their children Kyle, Jamie, Myriah, Jayelle, Jay, Greg and Gary.

Our family would like to thank Dad’s many friends in the Nile Valley for their thoughts and prayers while Dad was sick. We would also like to thank the members of the Selah Covenant Church for all the meals and prayers they provided. And a special thanks to the group from Memorial Hospital Hospice, North Star Lodge, Dr. Ha, Dr. Register, and Dr. Gross.

A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nile Community Church.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to North Star Lodge or Memorial Hospice, care of Keith & Keith Funeral Home, 902 W Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98902.

To share a memory of Lawrence, please visit www.keithandkeith.com.