Harold Robinson Jr.

Harold Robinson, Jr
WILLIAMSTON - Harold Robinson Jr., a well-loved North Carolina high school and college football coach, went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 4, 2025, at the age of 76, from stroke-related complications. Born in Washington, NC, to Dorothy and Harold Robinson, Sr., Harold Jr. graduated from Washington High School and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from East Carolina University, after a brief time at Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal, Va.
A Memorial service will be held on Friday, October 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the First Christian Church (DOC) of Washington with Minister Gillian Pollock officiating.
The family will receive friends Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
Harold's distinguished high school coaching career spanned over three decades, from 1973 to 2003. As head football coach at Williamston High School for 24 years (1979-2003), he achieved a 239-89 record, with two 1A state championships (1995, 1999), four state finalists, four eastern finalists, and seven conference titles. Under his watch as athletic director, Williamston earned ten Conference Cup Trophies for overall athletic excellence, and the school saw the construction of new football, softball, soccer, and weight room facilities. If the high school offered a sport, at some point he stepped in to help coach it, including baseball, wrestling, and track.
Harold received multiple Coach of the Year honors, including from the Associated Press in 1999. In 2002, he was selected as one of the Top 100 Coaches to Make a Difference by the NCHSAA as part of its centennial celebration. He was a mentor to countless young folks who achieved success in life and credited Harold's influence and inspiration. To those students he was "the big kahuna" or "the legend"!
His professional impact extended statewide. Harold co-founded the North Carolina Football Coaches Association (NCFCA) in 1990, serving as its president in 1994-95. He played a significant role in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, founding the NC Shrine Bowl Combines, expanding coaching staff, and serving as an assistant in 1996 and as a winning head coach in 2002.
His commitment to high school athletics earned him the NCHSAA Special Person Award (1995, 1997) and Outstanding Male Coach Award (1989). He was inducted into the North Carolina Athletic Directors Association Hall of Fame in 2007. Harold's contributions to NC high school athletics culminated in his induction to the prestigious NCHSAA Hall of Fame in 2022.
In 2004, Harold joined ECU's football staff as Director of High School Relations, fostering connections between the university and high school programs, leveraging his deep ties to his alma mater.
Coach Robinson was as much a coach off the field as he was on the field, positively impacting his students, coaching colleagues, and his community, mentoring, caring for, and serving those around him. First and foremost, he loved his children and grandchildren, was a dedicated friend to many. He cherished his memories of growing up in Washington and loved the Pamlico River. Harold served as a deacon and an elder at the First Christian Church in Washington and was a proud member of the Tranters Creek Herring Club in Washington.
In his retirement years he contributed a weekly column to the Washington Daily News. A compilation of those articles was published in the book, The Best of Times with the Best of Friends in the Best of Places, in 2023.
Harold is survived by his wife, Tracey, his sister Rose Ann Woolard (Grover), his three children, Hope Robinson, Gray Jack (Brian), and Will Robinson (Joyce), and nine grandchildren-Calista, Geren, Paxton, Zoe, Drew, Emory, Zach, McCoy, and Thaddeus.
In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to "Coach Harold Robinson GATA Athletic Fund" mailed to The GATA Athletic Fund, c/o Hope Robinson, 9927 Stephen Decatur Highway, Suite 16, Ocean City, MD 21842.
Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Robinson family.