Ivy Randolph “Randy” Robison, 97, of Casselberry, died October 10, 2013. Born in Bonifay, Randy and his sister, Jane, grew up in a farming community on land homesteaded in the late 1800s by their widowed grandmother. They later moved to Lakeland. Their parents were educators, providing both children with college educations. While studying mechanical engineering at the University of Florida, Randy made pocket money by using his car to drive his Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity brothers on weekend trips to what then was Florida State College for Women. At one of the campus dances, he met Carolyn O’Neal of Vero Beach. “That’s where all the girls were, and that’s where we went,” Randy often said. On Saturday, the two had lunch together. On Sunday, they went to church together. “I knew he was the one for me when we knelt for Communion together. We were both Methodists,” Carolyn remembered. They married in 1940, beginning a 72-year life together. (Carolyn died in August 2012.) Randy finished college, accepted his commission as an Army officer and ran a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Georgia. He switched during World War II to what would become a 30-year career in the Air Force. The Robisons raised sons George and Jim as Air Force brats with tours throughout the U.S.A. and Europe before returning to their home state in 1966 when Randy retired as a colonel. They had lived in 38 homes in 30 years from California to Washington, D.C., plus assignments to France and Germany. They retired to the Lake Conway area of Orlando, which at the time still had McCoy and Orlando air force bases. Randy started a real-estate company specializing in building homes for military retirees. Yet, something was missing: travel. By then, Randy had built Carolyn’s “dream home” in south Orlando’s Southern Oaks neighborhood. They sold the big home in 1976, bought a condo and hit the road. They didn't miss a state. Road trips took them to Alaska and Mexico. They flew to Hawaii and cruised through the Panama Canal and Scandinavia. Although a stroke slowed Randy in 1986, the couple still traveled. Every summer they drove to their cabin in Maggie Valley, N.C. Besides his sons, (and their wives, Joann Robison of Austin, TX, and Robyn Robison of Casselberry), Randy is survived by grandchildren, Travis, Ashley, Angela, William (Randy), Jennifer and Julie; great-grandchildren, Isabella, Zoe, Jackson, Alison, Reid and Tristan and extended family and friends. The family will receive friends at the visitation to be held at 10 a.m. Monday, October 21, followed at 11 a.m. by a funeral service, both at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Randy’s memory to the First UMC of Winter Park Memorial Fund. Share your memories or express your condolences by signing the Guest Book or watch a short slideshow at dignitymemorial.com
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