Laura Gamble Thomson Robinson

ROBINSON, LAURA GAMBLE THOMSON, died on June 3, 2011 at The Mayflower in Winter Park, Florida. Mrs. Robinson moved to Orlando during World War II when her husband, Joseph Dearborn Robinson III, was stationed at the old Orlando Air Force Base where he was in charge of the bombing range. She was an active member of the Officer's Wives Club. After Mr. Robinson's discharge, he and Mrs. Robinson chose to remain in Florida and purchased a home on Lake Osceola in Winter Park that was designed by her cousin, James Gamble Rogers II. When Mrs. Robinson went to register to vote, an event occurred that would shape her for the rest of her life. She wanted to register as a Republican and the Supervisor of Elections sent her home telling her that she was not allowed to be a member of that party without her husband's approval. Mr. Robinson soon joined her in the Supervisor's office and they both registered Republican. Mrs. Robinson soon became active in Republican politics in Florida. She was Chairman of the Legislative Committee of Florida Federation of Republican Women, President of the Orange County Council of Republican Women, served on the Orange County Republican Executive Committee and was the first Orange County State Committeewoman for the State Republican Party. She also was a member of President Eisenhower's National Committee for the 1960 White House Conference on Children and Youth. She frequently organized her four children to go out on Orange Avenue and other areas in the community and hand out literature that said "Register Republican". The typical response was, "We would but then we would have no one to vote for"! Mrs. Robinson was active in other activities including serving as the President of the Orange County Tuberculosis and Health Association, a board member of the Orange County Mental Health Association, the Orange County Children's Committee, the Florida Cooperating Council for Children and Youth and the United World Federalists. She was a founding Board member of Trinity Prep School and served as a Latin Teacher at Cathedral School. Mrs. Robinson's husband named his company Laurel Homes in her honor and built and developed thousands of homes through out Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Polk, Duval, Pasco, Saint Lucie and Indian River Counties. The firm has developed over 50 communities in these areas and many carry the "Laurel" name. Mrs. Robinson was born at Laurel Court (laurelcourt.com) in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 26, 1916. Laurel Court was also designed by her cousin, James Gamble Rogers. Her father was Peter G. Thomson Jr. and her mother was Laura Simpson Thomson. Mr. Thomson was Vice President of the Champion Paper and Fibre Company which had been founded by Mrs. Robinson's Grand Father. Mrs. Robinson was educated at Hillsdale School (Seven Hills today) in Cincinnati and then graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in Political Science and Pre Med. While she was at Bryn Mawr, she studied French and German and then traveled to Europe in the mid 30's where she witnessed the rise of Hitler and the Nazi's. Upon her return to Cincinnati she joined Moral Rearmament and the Cincinnati Enquirer called her "Cincinnati's Joan of Arc" and stated that she had "given up a Life of Softness for the Cause". Mrs. Robinson prophetically noted that "Men must stop hating and fighting. There must be a revolution in men's hearts- or there will be a revolution of terror. It is one or the other- for this is a changing era." Mrs. Robinson married Joseph D. Robinson III from Massachusetts who was a Regional Manager for the Kroger Co. and shortly her prediction of the "revolution of terror" that was World War II led them to a new home in Winter Park, Florida. Mrs Robinson is survived by three of her children, Laura Carroll Robinson, Peter Gamble Robinson (Debb Beynon) and Anne Robinson Moore as well as a daughter- in-law, Anne Conway. She has seven grand-children, Peter Gamble Robinson II (Tracey Rooney), Joseph Dearborn Robinson V (Mandy Ridenoure), Dr. Carolyn Conway Robinson, Anne Nelson Robinson (Javier Gonzalez), David Thomson Moore (Catherine Ross), Laura Gamble Henderson (Nathan Henderson) and Carroll Finney Henderson (John M. Henderson IV). She has five great-grand children, Katherine Mirra Robinson, Jack Gamble Robinson, Joseph Dearborn Robinson VI, Elliott Boaz Henderson and Gwyneth Grace Henderson. She is predeceased by her husband, Joseph Dearborn Robinson III, and her son, Joseph Dearborn Robinson IV. A memorial service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Winter Park on Tuesday June 7 at 10:30 a.m. with the Reverend Dr. Robert Lord officiating.