Julian Paul "JP" Robinson

On September 15, 2025, Julian Paul "JP" Robinson, Jr. (1940–2025) passed away peacefully in his sleep, just two weeks shy of his 85th birthday. He was our husband, daddy, gramps, father-in-law, cousin, uncle, and bonus dad. Though he had been undergoing treatment for cancer, his passing was unexpected. We feel unmoored without the steady anchor he was in our lives.

JP was a southern gentleman of the old school traditions. He believed in holding doors, elbows off the table, and always using your turn signal. Shirts were to be tucked in, cars washed, and yards mowed. Respect was to be shown to everyone-except, perhaps, those who tailgated. These rituals weren't just manners-they were JP's way of showing care, respect, and a quiet pride in doing things the "right way".

He didn't often use words to express how he felt; instead, he showed you through actions. In particular, JP was famous for his "safety hugs"-such as texts about incoming storms or reflective orange vests tucked into your Christmas stocking. To JP, safety was love in action. His quiet vigilance made us feel protected-seen, cared for-even when he couldn't be physically near.

First Loves

Before he met Marty, his wife of sixty years, JP's first love was cars, especially fast ones. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he landed his dream job with the racing tire divisions at Goodyear and Firestone. He spent those early years on the Utah salt flats, Ray-Bans on, watching race cars fly by in a blur of speed and possibility.

In time, though, JP's focus turned from speed and machines to building a rich family life. He had three children, who in turn gave him three grandchildren. He loved each of us with a fierce, but quiet devotion. We could always count on him to show up when we needed him most-whether it was a flat tire, moving across the country, or simply needing groceries.

A Life of Service

JP felt called to serve others and did so throughout his life in big and small ways. In the late 1960s, he was a first lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star. One of his heroic acts-told with humor and humility-was featured in Reader's Digest (March 2020) in a story titled "Just Like Dad."

The discipline and courage he honed in Vietnam became the foundation for a lifetime of service back home, where he continued to protect and care for others with quiet heroism. For nearly three decades, he volunteered with the Davidson County Rescue Squad and worked as an EMT. Few things brought him more joy than swooping in like a superhero-quiet, capable, and ready-to help someone in need.

On weekends, he taught handgun safety courses for new gun owners through the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. He loved helping people learn how to operate firearms with a strong sense of responsibility and care for others. He passed those lessons on to his children, who will always remember afternoons shooting cans in the backyard and long hunts in the cold woods with Dad, while eating junk food.

Family Came First

JP was a man of firm convictions, but family always came first. When he disagreed, he listened with curiosity, showed empathy, and wasn't afraid to change his mind. Where others of his generation might have remained resistant to feminism, gay rights, or religious diversity, JP courageously chose love above all else. Over the years, he transformed in ways that amazed us. His evolution was shaped by the people he loved, and in turn, he helped shape us-teaching us that growth is always possible, and love is always the right choice.

JP lived with quiet strength and unwavering care, leaving behind a legacy of love, compassion, service, and transformation. His life was a testament to kindness, humility, and steadfast devotion. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

How to Remember Him

If you'd like to honor JP, do it in the small ways he loved best. Buy a heavy black MAG flashlight for someone you love. Eat a plate of biscuits with jelly. Use your blinkers generously. Take a sunset walk with your dog. Stick $20 in your kid's pocket for gas money. Have pie for breakfast. In these small gestures, we carry forward the joy of JP's everyday love. In doing so, we keep his spirit alive through the lives we lead.

If you're moved to give, donations may be made in his memory to the American Red Cross or the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary.

His Family

The memory of JP will always be a blessing to his wife of sixty years, Martha Krick Robinson; his children, Danielle Robinson, JP Robinson III, and James Robinson; his grandchildren, Stevie Robinson, Jackson Robinson, and Rebecca Robinson-Packman; his daughter- and sons-in-law, Samantha Reynolds Robinson, Jeff Packman, and Duane Moody; his cousin, Nancy Carlson Weinsier; his nieces, Jan Rotroff White and Sandra Rotroff Lee; and his bonus daughter, Edie Johnston Kelsey.