Joseph Butler Robinson Jr.

Joseph Butler Robinson, Jr. (known to his friends and family as "Jody") was born in Sutherland, N. C. on June 4, 1932 to Joseph Butler Robinson Sr. and Pauline Graham Robinson.
He passed away peacefully in his home on October 11, 2025 with his faithful wife holding his hand and his loving family nearby.
Jody grew up in the mountain farmlands of Ashe County where he developed a love for country living and the great outdoors. There, he met Rebecca Ruth "Becky" Barlow, who would later become his wife of 72 years. They graduated from Riverview School and enjoyed attending basketball games, roller skating, and hanging out at Gert's (the local drive-in).
Jody and Becky were married in 1953. Together, they raised their three children, born one year after the other, and all with a variation of his name: Julia Joe, Jodie Lynn, and Joseph Butler Robinson, III. They made their home in the heart of Boone, but Jody's fondness for the country life would take him and his young family back to Ashe County to spend many happy summers in their home by the river. There, he enjoyed measuring tobacco, hunting squirrels and rabbits, and taking his children fishing. These summers would inspire in his children a lifelong love for the country and create some of their best memories as a family.
Jody graduated from Lees-McRae College and East Tennessee State University, and later earned a Master's Degree from Appalachian State Teachers College (now Appalachian State University). Coming from a long line of educators, Jody began his career teaching and coaching at several schools in Ashe County. He particularly enjoyed coaching various high school athletic teams, including baseball and both girls and boys basketball. He was especially proud of his girls championship basketball team. Later in his career, Jody served as a high school guidance counselor, drivers education instructor, Director of Transportation, and Director of Vocational Education for Watauga County Schools.
In his retirement years, he enjoyed watching ball games, old westerns and Andy Griffith, and frequenting yard sales and flea markets in search of antiques or toys for the grandchildren, who were the joy of his last four decades.
He was called "Babby" by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and enjoyed every minute of being a grandfather and great-grandfather.
Together, Babby and Nana built a generational home where family was always welcome. They have been ever-present in their grandchildren's lives and gave them a collective childhood full of treasured memories - Friday night sleepovers, Sunday lunches, sitting on the porch, taking walks out the road, attending every recital, concert or play, picking the grandkids up from school and later from their college classes at ASU, giving them driving lessons, and providing a second home where rules didn't apply and grandchildren knew they were loved.
The light of his later years were the 5 great-grandchildren whose smiles and hugs brought him such tremendous joy and brightened his days with laughter. They loved him dearly, as evidenced by an ever-increasing colorful wall of children's artwork beside his chair and their recollections of sitting on the porch together and hearing stories of his childhood on the farm.
Jody's devotion to his family was the focus of his life. He was a man of thoughtful generosity who provided for his family's every need. He could express love without a single word and was known for his ability to communicate feeling with just a pat on the back, a heartfelt gift or a wave of the hand.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Butler Robinson Sr. and Pauline Graham Robinson; sister, Rena Alice Robinson; his paternal grandparents, Dr. William Joseph Robinson ("Grandaddy Doc") and Julia Sutherland Robinson ("Grandma Rob"); and his maternal grandparents, James Graham and Alice Graybeal Graham ("GaGa").
Jody is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Rebecca Ruth Barlow Robinson "Becky" (whom he affectionately called "Cory Mae" or "Verta"); his 3 children and their spouses: Julia Joe Robinson Hunter (Tony); Jodie Lynn Robinson Ginn (Phil); Joseph Butler Robinson III, whom Jody called "Jakie," (Renee'); 6 granddaughters: Ashley Rebecca Ginn; Tracey Leanah Ginn Amerson (Asheton); Julia Robinson Ginn Garner (Michael); Jodie Caroletta Ginn Oblak (Chris); Maddisen Renee' Robinson and Makenzie Joe Robinson; 5 great-grandchildren: Bailey, Tucker, and Blakely Amerson, Frances "Frannie" Garner, and Charlie Oblak.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 17, 2025 at 1:00pm at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel.
The family will receive friends from 12:00-1:00pm on Friday; one hour prior to the memorial service.