Obituary of Harold Irvine Robinson

Robinson, Harold, Irvine of Upper Dyke Village, Kings County, NS, died Monday, October 29, 2012, a month short of his 95th birthday. Born in the family home near Kentville, November 23, 1917, he was the son of the late James Norman and Florence (Arthur) Robinson. He was raised on the 200 year old ancestral farm at Robinson??s Corner, Upper Church St, the youngest of seven. Harold worked hard all his life, farming, building houses, and in the automotive industry with his brothers, and later with his son, Chris. During the Second World War Harold served the war effort by repairing and wiring fighter planes in Botwood, Newfoundland and Dartmouth. NFLD was a second home to him always and he and his wife, Georgina, rediscovered it after his retirement. He lived his life devoted to supporting Georgina and their family, keeping them housed, warm and fed. He chose his friends with care and did not ???suffer fools gladly??, as the saying goes.. Yet, he also was not one to give up easily, either with people or with difficult tasks. He was a trained bookkeeper, a man with a memory ???like an elephant??s??, as he would say. Even in his 95th year, almost completely bedridden, family would marvel at the details he could handle and keep track of, and the accuracy with which he could remember both the far and recent past. Harold had a strong sense of fairness, of right and wrong, and was very organized and productive. Harold earned his ham radio license in 1971, and was president of the local club, KCARC, from 1971 ??? 1974. Harold was a long-time active member of the Kentville Lions Club, and served on their board of Directors. Harold enjoyed building things. He built their home for Georgina, his sweetheart since grade eight. In his earlier years he made a lightweight plane, and a pontoon boat, and later in life he created and sold beautiful hand-made Windsor chairs and turned wooden bowls. His vegetable gardens were works of art and of plenty, and he shared the bounty with family and friends. Even when he was on 24-hour oxygen in his final years he figured out how to strap an oxygen tank on the back of the ride-on lawnmower so he could enjoy mowing his entire 2 or 3 acres. In his 95th year he set up tables and equipment in the living room so he could cane chair seats. Although almost completely bedridden, he would get up, use his walker to go into the next room, and would work away. He was inspiring; with sheer determination to live every moment. Surviving is his wife, Georgina. Those of us close to him know that his love for her was, as was hers for him, solid and central to his being. Also surviving are his sons, Paul, Dartmouth; Ernest, Dartmouth; daughters, Karen, Halifax; Ardyth, Centreville; grandchildren Amos, Nadia (Fred), Hannah, and Claire, and great grandchild, Christopher. He was predeceased by his son Christopher; sisters, Leota and Helen; brothers, Frederick W., Albert, Ralph and Clifford. Cremation has taken place .The memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday in St. John??s Anglican Church, 1105 Church St. Rev. David Garrett officiating.Interment in Serenity Gardens Cemetery, Sherman Belcher Rd. Centreville. Reception to follow at the home of Hugh & Andrea Sweeney, 2207 Lake Wood Rd. Upper Dyke. Visitation will be held from 7-9 pm Thursday evening in the Annapolis Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 34 Coldbrook Village Park Dr. Coldbrook (Exit 14). In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Harold may be made to the Living Language Institute, fleurettesweeney@telus.net; Canadians for A Safe Learning Environment (CASLE) www.casle.ca; or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. On line condolences may be made through www.annapolisvalleyfuneralhome.com