CHARLES WILBUR ROBINSON

MIDDLEBURY — Charles Wilbur Robinson died peacefully at Eastview in Middlebury, Vt., on Feb. 10, 2025, with his family by his side. He was 91. Charles was born in Ludlow, Vt., to Mary (Mann) Robinson and Lindley Robinson Jan. 2, 1934.

Charles was predeceased by his daughter Martie Schellinger; his son, David Robinson; and his wife, Heather Robinson. Survivors include his brother, Lindley; daughter Robbie Corriss; grandsons Justin and Ethan Corriss; and sons-in-law David Corriss and Kirk Schellinger.

He graduated from Black River High School in Ludlow, Vt. He was then accepted and attended Middlebury College, where he met his wife, Heather Hamilton.

He loved music, especially Dixieland Jazz, and was the band leader and trumpet player in the Old Chapel Six Jazz group at Middlebury College.

Charles was a graduate of Middlebury College, class of ’56. Then he went to serve his two years mandatory military service with the U.S. Navy on board the U.S.S. Iowa and U.S.S. Macon. Upon return from his naval obligations, he obtained a master’s degree in education from Springfield College and then went to Dayton, Ohio, to be the Director of Guidance and Training at Goodwill Industries. He and his family returned to the Monadnock area where they settled in Hancock, N.H. He was a counselor at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center in Greenfield, N.H., and then took the position of Vocational Director of Rehabilitative Services at Crotched Mountain.

In a very brave move, the family took an assignment with World Rehabilitation, Saigon, and Danang in Vietnam from March 1971 to Dec. 1972. He built and trained staff for the first Vocational Rehabilitation Center in Vietnam. Even in Vietnam, Charles was able to form a local jazz band with other U.S. personnel stationed there, which made his time there more sustainable. While Charles was in Saigon, Heather and the children lived in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, in a local community learning about all the cultures, traditions and culinary delights that later was the impetus for their love for traveling the world.

Once back on U.S. soil, he took a position as Director of Vocational Rehabilitation Center of Manchester, N.H., and established one for the New Hampshire Department of Education in Berlin, N.H.

Facing the daunting task of having to put twin girls through college at the same time, he accepted a position at Assumption College in Worcester, Mass., as the Assistant Coordinator of Vocational Rehabilitation. As a side note, both his girls, Martie and Robbie, attended Assumption College and obtained a B.A. with a major in Social and Rehabilitation Services, while his son David Robinson served in the United States Army.

Charles’ lifelong love of learning brought him to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he received his Doctorate in Education in 1983.

After his tenure at Assumption College, he started a business designing software programs for people with disabilities to be used in school systems. During this time, he and his wife Heather managed to continue with their love of travel with trips to Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, England, Morocco, and Scotland, to name a few, and summering in Ludlow, Vt., at Lake Rescue in a cabin built in 1934. The town of Ludlow always played a huge role in their life as his parents, Mary and Lindley lived there. Family was the most important and the lake cabin has been a generational constant for four generations. Charles was very active in the Lake Rescue Association for years.

Finally, they retired back to the place where it all began, Middlebury, Vt. First, they lived at Marble Works for a few years waiting for Eastview to be built. Heather and Charles were one of Eastview’s first residents. Both were very active in all community aspects of Eastview, and as Middlebury Alumni still participated in auditing courses at the college, used the athletic facilities, and enjoyed Middlebury football games and reunions. Charles continued to play his horn for those social events at Eastview, and later for those who would reside in the Memory Care Unit.

Charles continued to be very active both at Eastview and Middlebury College with his innovative and adaptive ideas for assisting the hearing impaired and wiring classrooms and common rooms with the latest technology.

Heather and Charles were so blessed to be able to live out their final years in Middlebury, a place that held such fantastic memories and friendships, as well as being instrumental in their meeting and subsequent marriage and life of 66 years together.

Above all Charles was a very kind, thoughtful and caring husband, father and grandfather. His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts as he was one-of-a-kind — that type of man with those qualities are so hard to find these days.

Charles was laid to rest next to his wife, Heather on June 23, 2025, in the family plot in Ludlow, Vt., in the Pleasant View Cemetery. ◊