Obituary of Marvin Robinson

Marvin Lee Robinson, 101 years of age, of Roanoke, (formerly of Marion, N.C.) passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2013 in the Palliative Care Unit of the Salem VA Medical Center. A veteran of World War II, Marvin served in the Army's 29th Infantry Division, 116th Infantry Regiment. He was with the 29th at the Battle of the Bulge when that Division went into the Siegfried Line in Germany in October, 1944. On January 1, 1945, Marvin arrived in New York City as a stretcher patient aboard the Queen Elizabeth II, which had been converted to a troop ship. He spent five months in military hospitals at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and Fort Story, Virginia before being discharged in May, 1945. Marvin retired from Drexel Furniture Company in 1972. He was a charter member of West Marion Baptist Church where he served in many capacities over the years. He loved sourwood honey and knew how to get his bees to make it! He was an avid gardener and enjoyed traveling. In his retirement, he developed a passion for deep-sea and surf fishing and enjoyed many fishing trips to the North Carolina coast and Mexico with his daughter and son-in-law, Wanda and Bill Ledbetter. Marvin was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Julia Honeycutt; his parents, Doskie Gragg and Wilburn Curtis Robinson; sister, Lavada Wilson, and brother, Dale Robinson; sisters-in-law, Mary Robinson Early and Betty Cuthbertson Robinson; and three step grand children: Kyle, Jeff, and Mark Ledbetter. Marvin leaves behind a family blessed by his long, healthy life: daughters, Wanda Robinson Ledbetter and husband Bill of Nebo, N.C. and Cape Coral, Fla., Brenda Robinson Page of Roanoke; brother, John Robinson and wife Florence of Marion, N.C.; sister, Thelma Fender and husband Claude of Canton, Ga.; and sister, Hazel Murphy and husband Clint of Marion, N.C.; grandchildren, Kathy Altuner and husband Don of Izmir, Turkey; Pam Summers and husband Bill of Greensboro; Major Tom Page, USMC and wife Sherry of Fredericksburg; step grandson, Brad Ledbetter and wife Mary of Marion, N.C.; six great-grandchildren, Sara and Kara Altuner, Adam and Josh Stork, Erika Roberts, and Penelope Roberts Page; five step-grandchildren, Chris, Adam, Beth, Nathaniel, and Josh Ledbetter; ten nieces and nephews; and a very special nephew, George Rector and wife Bobbie of Shelby, N.C. In lieu of flowers the family would like to request memorials be made to a church and or a charity of your choice in Marvin's name. The family would also like to extend a special thank you to the staff at the VAMC in Salem, and especially the staff at the Virginia Veterans Care Center in Roanoke, for their wonderful care of Marvin. The family has chosen to honor Marvin's request that his body be donated to the Duke University School of Medicine through the Anatomical Gifts Program. A memorial graveside service will be held in Oak Grove Cemetery in Marion, N.C. at a later date. Arrangements by Simpson Funeral Home & Crematory. 366-0707