JOHN M. ROBINSON

JOHN M. ROBINSON, 66, of Fort Wayne, passed away on Friday, July 22, 2011, in Fort Wayne, after a nearly four year struggle with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Born March 26, 1945, in LeComp-te, La., he was the son of the late Horace and Lillian (Malone) Robinson. He graduated from Istrouma High School, Baton Rouge, La. in 1963 as valedictorian; and in 1967 received a B.S. in physics from Louisiana State University Magna Cum Laude. After obtaining a Ph.D in physics from Florida State University in 1972, he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Physics at IPFW in Fort Wayne, where he served for 35 years, the last 28 years as department Chairman until his cancer diagnosis in 2007. He also served for two years as President of Central States Universities, Inc. He published numerous scientific papers in his research area of magnetic properties of solids, most notably a co-authored book The Physics of Actinide Compounds and an article to which an entire issue of the Journal Physics Reports was devoted. He also greatly enjoyed teaching, introducing an innovative new course, The Physics of Sports. His hobbies included tournament chess, in which he reached the rank of U.S. Expert; competition target shooting, in which he won many awards; figure skating as a member of the Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club; and tennis. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Linda Chandler Robinson; daughter, Carmen Paillie of Toledo, Ohio; grandchildren, Ethan and Camille Thompson; brother, Chester Robinson of Conway, Ark.; and niece, Jessica Curtis (Robinson) of Port Smith, Ark. A Celebration of Life Service is 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at Hockemeyer & Miller Funeral Home, 6131 St. Joe Road. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2011, at the funeral home. Memorials to Cancer Services of Norhteast Indiana or Parkview Home Health & Hospice.