Elburn Dean 'Gay' Robinson
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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He was born Oct. 15, 1920, in Jay County, to Emery Harrison and Bertha Lawson Robinson. On Aug. 22, 1943, at Friends Church in Wabash, he married Martha Ester Dubois, who survives.
He lived in Jay County for 12 years, Wabash County for 21 years and Kosciusko County for 55 years. He was founder and CEO of Robinson Construction Inc., Warsaw, and was a founding partner in Holiday Inns in Wabash and Warsaw; Warsaw Airport Industrial Park and Medcast Inc. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on Oct. 22, 1942, assigned to the 74th Fighter Squadron 23rd Fighter Group. He was sent to India by ship, flown over Hump to China. He was stationed at various Flying Tigers bases as photo technician and spent approximately one year in China. He was honorably discharged Jan. 17, 1946, as rank staff sergeant. This group was known as Flying Tigers. He was a member of the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce and the men's league at Gilliam Bowling Lanes, Warsaw.
Also surviving are five children: Dan J. (and spouse Cheryl Ann) Robinson, Warsaw; Marta Gay Hopkins (and companion Larry Coplen), Syracuse; and Douglas K. (and spouse Mary) Robinson, Gregg R. (and spouse Lisa) Robinson and Dennis A. (and spouse Sarah) Robinson, all of Warsaw; a special former son-in-law, Dan (and spouse Marlene) Hoffer, Warsaw; 10 grandchildren: Jackie (and spouse Ron) Bradley; Brent (and spouse Julie) Robinson; Lori Robinson (and companion Heath Gaerie); Kim (and spouse Travis) Bouldin; Branden (and spouse Courtney) Robinson; and Julie, Hilary, Steve, Leslie and and Ben Robinson; three step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marjorie Featheringill, Tupelo, Miss.; and a brother-in-law Francis Metzger, Somerset. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lee and Sherwood Robinson, Wabash; and four sisters: Berneal Collins, Grace Summers and Mary Radabaugh Metzger, all of Wabash, and Norine Eppley, North Manchester.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw, with Jeff Carroll officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military honors by members of Warsaw American Legion Post 49 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1126.
Calling is from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
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Memorials may be made to Grace Village Health Care, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or Kosciusko County YMCA, 1401 E. Smith St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
Condolences may be sent via mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com[[In-content Ad]]
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He was born Oct. 15, 1920, in Jay County, to Emery Harrison and Bertha Lawson Robinson. On Aug. 22, 1943, at Friends Church in Wabash, he married Martha Ester Dubois, who survives.
He lived in Jay County for 12 years, Wabash County for 21 years and Kosciusko County for 55 years. He was founder and CEO of Robinson Construction Inc., Warsaw, and was a founding partner in Holiday Inns in Wabash and Warsaw; Warsaw Airport Industrial Park and Medcast Inc. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on Oct. 22, 1942, assigned to the 74th Fighter Squadron 23rd Fighter Group. He was sent to India by ship, flown over Hump to China. He was stationed at various Flying Tigers bases as photo technician and spent approximately one year in China. He was honorably discharged Jan. 17, 1946, as rank staff sergeant. This group was known as Flying Tigers. He was a member of the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce and the men's league at Gilliam Bowling Lanes, Warsaw.
Also surviving are five children: Dan J. (and spouse Cheryl Ann) Robinson, Warsaw; Marta Gay Hopkins (and companion Larry Coplen), Syracuse; and Douglas K. (and spouse Mary) Robinson, Gregg R. (and spouse Lisa) Robinson and Dennis A. (and spouse Sarah) Robinson, all of Warsaw; a special former son-in-law, Dan (and spouse Marlene) Hoffer, Warsaw; 10 grandchildren: Jackie (and spouse Ron) Bradley; Brent (and spouse Julie) Robinson; Lori Robinson (and companion Heath Gaerie); Kim (and spouse Travis) Bouldin; Branden (and spouse Courtney) Robinson; and Julie, Hilary, Steve, Leslie and and Ben Robinson; three step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Marjorie Featheringill, Tupelo, Miss.; and a brother-in-law Francis Metzger, Somerset. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lee and Sherwood Robinson, Wabash; and four sisters: Berneal Collins, Grace Summers and Mary Radabaugh Metzger, all of Wabash, and Norine Eppley, North Manchester.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw, with Jeff Carroll officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military honors by members of Warsaw American Legion Post 49 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1126.
Calling is from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
*****
Memorials may be made to Grace Village Health Care, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or Kosciusko County YMCA, 1401 E. Smith St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
Condolences may be sent via mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com[[In-content Ad]]
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