Bill Robinson

Billy Emmett Robinson, son of the late Dallas and Velma (Kelley) Robinson, was born December 9, 1937, in Tulare, California, and passed away February 25, 2021, at his home in Mountain Grove, Missouri. He was 83 years, 2 months, and 16 days of age.

After Bill was born, his family moved to Norwood, Missouri, where he spent the next few years of his life before moving back to California and settling into a small community outside of Exeter often called “Lil Okie”. This is where he met the love of his life, Helen Lansdown; he was about six and she was about five! He would try his best to win her over but she would not have anything to do with him until she finally gave in and let him pull her around in his little red wagon. They dated throughout high school and then married shortly after high school graduation.

The day of the wedding brought him a lot of anxiety even though it was not a traditional wedding. Helen always told the story of how she and Bill’s mom got onto the elevator and, as the doors were closing, they saw Bill running towards it. He was too late for the elevator so he ran up the staircase and was standing there when the elevator doors opened again. When it was his turn to say “I do” to the vows asked by the preacher, he said “I do” a total of six times!

Bill was an avid reader, reading anything and everything including many novels, the newspaper, anything he received in the mail including all the fine print, the entire set of World Book Encyclopedia, and the Bible multiple times.

Bill was a truck driver, hauling a variety of different things including fruit and pipe. He eventually retired from Viking Ready Mix where he hauled gravel. He always said he had driven enough miles that when he retired, it would not bother him if he never left home again. Other than trips to California to visit family and taking Helen to her favorite places, he stayed home and enjoyed every minute of it.

Bill and Helen enjoyed Country Western music and dancing. They were part of a large crowd of friends who, on Saturday night, would meet up and spend the night dancing and enjoying each other’s company.

Bill loved being outdoors and landscaping their yards with Helen. They worked very well together creating beautiful flowerbeds using natural rocks and tree trunks and often dug up and transplanted shrubs, flowers, and trees they would find on their property. They would end their day well after dark so exhausted and couldn’t wait to just get some rest so they could get up early the next morning and do it all again.

Bill will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Besides his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, one brother, Dolan Robinson, and two sisters, Doris McDonald and Betty Peters.

He is survived by three sons, Randy Robinson of Exeter, California, Greg Robinson of Fresno, California, and Darin Robinson of Exeter, California, one daughter, Dara Harr and her husband, Rawliegh, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, two sisters, Barbara Butler and her husband, Don and Bonnie Hunt all of Porterville, California, five grandchildren, Amy Pearson and her husband, Tom, Courtnie Robinson, Ashley Robinson, Hailey Robinson, and Amber Robinson, one adopted granddaughter, Tonia Robinson, one great-grandson, Lincoln Pearson, and a very special part of his family whom he held near and dear, Elmer and Virginia Fisher, and many other relatives and friends.