George LaForest Robbins, 86, of New Harbor, passed away peacefully on Jan. 30 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Newton Center, Mass. on Oct. 10, 1925, the son of the late Donald and Mildred Moody Robbins. He attended schools in both Massachusetts and Detroit. After graduation he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served from 1943 to 1946. After leaving active duty, he remained in the Reserves as he went on to college. He graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1950 from Michigan State University.
He was a man who loved life and all of the adventures and journeys that it would bring. He was an avid sailor, a passion that he enjoyed all of his life. While in college he started and was the first commodore of the Michigan State University Sailing Club, and was a member of the Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association which organized intercollegiate dinghy racing in the Midwest. He was also Vice President of the college skiing club.
After college he began his career by working as Resident Engineer for the town of Milwaukee, Wis., for a year before moving to U.S. Steel where he worked in a variety of positions including Chief Engineer of U.S. Steel’s Limestone Operations in Rogers City, Mich. When he retired in 1982, he was working as Manager of Mineral Properties at U.S. Steel headquarters in Pittsburgh, Penn.
Following in the wake of more than 20 sea captains in his family lineage, upon retirement he was able to fulfill a life-time dream of sailing with his wife, Lee, aboard their 35-foot sloop, the Talisman III. The couple enjoyed a year at sea, sailing to the Caribbean and other islands before returning home. After his return from sea he went back into the work force as a project manager for ORBA/Litwin and then eventually started his own consulting firm, G. L. Robbins & Associates.
When he was not on board a boat, you could find him on the tennis court. He loved the sport and served as a board member of both the U.S. Tennis Association, New England Division, and the Maine Tennis Association. He was also instrumental in the development of wheelchair tennis in the New England area, serving on the USTA New England Wheelchair Tennis Committee, of which he was co-chair for three years. For his tireless efforts, he was presented with the USTA Gardner Ward Chase Memorial Award, for outstanding lifetime contributions to tennis in the New England Area.
He ascended Mt. Kathadin eight times, demonstrating his love for the outdoors. He enjoyed building model ships, science and history, and playing bridge. He was a volunteer serving as an Interpretive Guide and board member with the Friends of Colonial Pemaquid.
He was a man who looked at every day as a new adventure and had a true zest for life. He loved sailing, tennis, history, classical music, the outdoors, a good Manhattan, science, local reenactments, wheelchair tennis, butter and garlic, dancing, the sea, and family.
He was predeceased by a son, Stephen Robbins.
Survivors include his loving wife of 51 years, Lee Robbins of New Harbor; sons, Reid Miner and wife Mary of Cary, N.C., David Robbins and wife Linda of St. Louis, Mo., Jay Miner and wife Mauri of Seattle, Wash., James Miner and wife Yana Tishchenko of New Harbor, and Zoe Miner of Fairfax, Cal.; sister, Robbie “Dottie” Stewart of St. Joseph, Mich.; grandchildren, Gregory Miner and wife Alissa Patterson of Sydney, Australia, Sara Miner and husband Ben Hubbard of Washington D.C., Emily Robbins of China, Natalie Olala and husband Herve of China, Elliott Robbins and wife Hannah of Vienna, Ill., Justin Miner of Los Angeles, Cal., and Jeremy Miner of Los Angeles, Cal.; great-grandchildren, Lachlan and Isabella Miner, and Scarlett Robbins; as well as many wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends.
At George’s request, in lieu of a funeral, there will be a celebration of life in the summer of 2012, the date of which will be posted on www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
You are invited to share your condolences, memories, and photos with the family by visiting their Book of Memories page at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of George Robbins to The Friends of Colonial Pemaquid, PO Box 304, New Harbor, ME 04554; Doctors Without Borders USA, PO Box 5030, Haggerstown, MD, 21741-5030; Maine Wheelchair Tennis, 12 Turnberry Dr., Cumberland, ME 04032; or The Salvation Army, 27 Payne Ave., Route 1, Rockland, ME 04841.
The staff at Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 949 Main St., Waldoboro is caring for the family.
