Robert Thomas Robinson

Robert Thomas Robinson (widely and affectionately known as "Tom") was born on January 3rd, 1950 in Morristown, New Jersey to Florence June Wood and Robert Claxton Robinson. Born into an United States Air Force family, Tom moved often and broadly at a young age. He, his late sister Marsha Decker, and his late brother James "Jim" Robinson, spent the first half of their childhood living outside the East London suburb of Ealing, United Kingdom and the latter half in Brunswick, Maine. In 1964, Tom's family relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended 'Iolani School. Upon graduation in 1968, he attended Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.

A deep thinker and lifelong learner, Tom was captivated by the wonders of the world-faith, purpose, and love among them. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English, he was awarded with the Rockefeller Fellowship and went on to pursue a Master's (M.A.R.) degree in Religion at Harvard and Yale Divinity Schools.

Tom made immediate use of his degree as an intern with the Quebec-Labrador Foundation, where his passions for community education and environmental stewardship converged. He dedicated his career to education, specifically teaching English and coaching soccer at Friends' Central School in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania and Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, California. There, Tom created some of his life's fondest memories-the legacy of which lives on in his friends and students today.

Demonstrating his curiosity beyond the classroom, Tom had a short stint in television production, working as a production coordinator and freelance producer for local ABC and CBS affiliates in San Francisco, California during the 1984 Democratic National Convention and 1985 Super Bowl XIX. Later that same year, he became a published author of a children's book, "The Tale of Humphrey the Humpback Whale," written in partnership with John Heus.

Ever committed to staying connected to his educational institutions and the communities they fostered, Tom worked for both the Yale and Stanford Alumni Associations, which led him to co-founding start-up University ProNet (later renamed eProNet) and working for Experience.com-an online recruiting and career networking platform for the country's top colleges and universities. He never missed a class reunion at 'Iolani School, Trinity College, or Crystal Springs Uplands School.

Along the way, Tom met and fell in love with Carla Jo Murray, whom he married in 1994. For 30 years, Tom and Carla resided in the Seattle area-the majority of their time spent on Mercer Island, where they raised their two children, Haley Murray Robinson (now 30) and Tyler Murray Robinson (now 24).

Tom was a dedicated volunteer who offered teaching assistance to Mercer Island Public Schools and Save Our Youth in Costa Mesa, California; coached t-ball and soccer; canvassed for the Democratic Party with Vote Forward; and supported organizations whose missions he believed in such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

A fearless adventurer, Tom hitchhiked cross-country; sailed the Pacific Ocean from Honolulu, Hawaii to San Francisco, California; summited Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood; skied the Sierra Nevadas and the Sawtooths; and shredded the Hawaiian, Mexican, and Costa Rican surf.

Tom's greatest love was his family: Carla, Haley, and Tyler. Their family travels took them from tropical beaches to snow-capped mountains to bustling cityscapes. Within the past couple of years, Tom and Carla started to split their time between Sun Valley, Idaho and Newport Beach, California, enjoying the company of friends and visiting with their children often.

Tom passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Wednesday, July 2nd in Newport Beach, California. He was 75 years old.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider giving a donation to Save Our Youth or Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Tom's memory. His celebration of life will be held on Thursday, August 14th at 2pm at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral (1245 10th Ave E) in Seattle, Washington with a reception to follow.