JOHN KARL ROBINSON

John Karl Robinson Was born in his family home in Joliet IL on 6-21-27 to John Lawrence Robinson (lineage traced to George Washington's family) and Marguerite Bitterman. He passed away on 6-22-10 from a stroke, quickly and without pain. He graduated from Joliet High School. Training for submarine duty in the US Navy was followed by study at the University of Chicago, where he earned a BA as well as a PhB in liberal arts and philosophy in 1948. He also attended the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and Stanford. In l952 John completed a CORO Foundation internship in Public Affairs, returning as Staff Associate in Education and Research for 12 years. Following that he became Director of Community Relations at The Rossmoor Retirement Community in Walnut Creek for 19 years. John was a true renaissance man and teacher, skilled at organizing and leading meetings and public events. He presided as a Mill Valley School Trustee and was a member of the Mill Valley Planning Commission. He served as president of the Marin County Mental Health Association and the SF and Marin American Associations for the United Nations. He also enjoyed being on the executive committees at the UN 20th Anniversary Celebration in SF and The Milley Awards for the City of Mill Valley. He visited with an assigned inmate in San Quentin for two years and volunteered at Bread and Roses, aiding Mimi Farina during her last months. He was a past-president of the Marin Philosophical Society and volunteered at the Mill Valley Library history room. Able to appreciate beauty as an acute observer, in retirement John began to produce photocollages reflecting his life-long interest in bringing images of things, animals and people together in new ways. He exhibited at the Mill Valley City Council chambers and the Washington Square Gallery in SF. John's spiritual development was enhanced by his participation in the SF Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in the 1950's, his commitments to the Marin Men's Group for 30 years, The Sons of Orpheus Elders Group, other men's guilds, and personal retreats to the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur. Relating to the pull of nature around his Mill Valley home was profound for him. Surviving John are Caroline, his devoted wife of 53 years, his son David of Mill Valley, his daughter Louise with her husband James Mills of Atascadero, and his daughter Amanda with her partner Philip Sasso of Carlsbad. His granddaughters Ellen and Stephanie Mills of Atascadero were especially dear to him. His brothers are William Robinson of Joliet IL and Lawrence Robinson of Hickory NC; his sister Catherine Lundal is deceased. John was noted by all as an especially sympathetic listener. A memorial celebration will be held Friday, July 23rd at 4pm at The Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley. A contribution in his name may be made to the infirmary project of the New Camaldoli Hermitage at 62475 Coast Hyway 1,, Big Sur, CA 93920. This would warm John's heart.