Robin Seaman

1950 - 2019

Robin Seaman

Jan. 9, 1950 - Jan. 7, 2019

Surrounded by family and close friends, Robin A. Seaman passed away peacefully on January 7, 2019 following a brief and sudden illness.
Robin was born in Palo Alto to Robert and Annette Seaman and grew up in Los Altos and Cupertino. Robin attended college at UC San Diego and received a master's degree in Slavic Languages and Literature from UC Berkeley.
In her early career, Robin worked in the Soviet Union for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of a traveling exhibition of American life and commerce. She followed her passion for literature by pursuing a career in publishing in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. A leader in the early days of digital publishing, in 2008 Robin joined Benetech, a nonprofit in Palo Alto that empowers communities with software for social good, and personally led an international initiative to make books and published content accessible to people with disabilities. Robin's legacy work and contributions are broadly recognized as having driven a global shift in publishing, expanding access to books and education for millions of disabled people around the world. While most who will benefit from her work will have never known her, their newfound access to the world's literature and knowledge was a point of immense pride and fulfillment to Robin.
Robin lived her life with warmth, style, grace, elegance and had a wicked sense of humor. Her beauty, smile, laugh and magnetic charisma warmed every room. She was a devoted friend to so many, from childhood friendships she nurtured for decades to the new connections she built with colleagues, neighbors and extended family through each stage of her life. Her network spans the globe and she found joy in reconnecting whenever she traveled.
Robin is survived by her loving brother Scott Seaman, sister-in-law Christina and her beloved and devoted nephew and niece, Brendan Seaman and Laura Seaman.
A celebration of Robin's extraordinary life is being planned. For more about Robin's life and how her family and friends are honoring her, please visit https://everloved.com/life-of/robin-seaman.