Lt. Col. Jason W. Robbins

Retired Lt. Col. Jason W. Robbins, 42, died on Saturday, April 26, 2008, as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Col. Robbins was born in Westfield, N.Y., on July 10, 1965, to Donna and Roy Robbins. He graduated from Panama Central School in 1983. After high school, he attended SUNY Agriculture and Technical College in Alfred, N.Y., and graduated in 1985. Following graduation, he began his career as an enlisted soldier, and after boot camp he was stationed in Germany. He was selected for a scholarship in the Reserve Officer Trainer Corps and attended Clarkson University in Watertown, N.Y. In 1989, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and received his commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Field Artillery. Col. Robbins married his college girlfriend, Julie Hayden, and they lived in Germany, where he was stationed. During his 22-year military career, Col. Robbins also attended Central Florida University and graduated with a master's degree in engineering. Col. Robbins served in a variety of leadership positions within the Army, including service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. On Oct. 31, 2007, he retired from the Army with the rank of lieutenant colonel. During his retirement ceremony, he was recognized by army senior leadership with a Legion of Merit Award for his enormous contributions to the nation and exceptional performance in assignments of ever-increasing responsibility. Upon retirement, Col. Robbins joined the Millennium Corporation. He was appointed the company's lead program manager at Picatinny Arsenal for contracted services for developing solutions to counter the Improvised Explosive Devices threat in both the Afghanistan and Iraqi theaters of operation. He was an accomplished Army officer who will be greatly missed by his immediate family, his Army family and all of those who had an opportunity to know him. Col. Robbins was a loyal follower of the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabers. His favorite personal sport was golf, which he played whenever the opportunity presented itself. He always enjoyed a good joke and was well-known for his positive outlook on life. His immense love was evident in the life he shared with his wife, Julie, and their three sons, Craig, Chad and Michael, who all lived at home. Col. Robbins' compassion and concern for others drew people to him from all walks of life. He was a source of inspiration and strength to his family and a strong leader to those who knew and worked with him. In addition to his wife and children, Col. Robbins is survived by his mother, Donna Robbins, of Falconer, N.Y.; his father, Roy Robbins, of Jamestown, N.Y.; his brother, Dennis Robbins, of Jamestown; his sister, Lori Stansbury, of North Richland Hills, Texas; his grandmother, Susanna Robbins, of Brocton, N.Y.; and his nephews, James and Greg Robbins and Jacob Stansbury; his mother- and father-in-law, Maxine and Bill Hayden; his brother-in-law, William Hayden; his sister- and brother-in-law, Natalie and Robert Siedlecki; and his nieces, Alexandra and Victoria. Col. Robbins will be remembered as a leader, a devoted and loving husband, a strong and admirable father and a beloved, cherished and deeply missed soldier, his family said. The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High St., Newton. Visitation will be held today, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Burial with full military honors will be held in Arlington National Cemetery, at 9 a.m., on Thursday, July 17, 2008. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Jason Robbins Children's College Fund, c/o Lakeland Bank, 11 Hampton House Road, Newton NJ 07860.