Jun 13, 1915 - Mar 22, 2015

CHILLICOTHE, OHIO: Eleanor Oakley Robinson died peacefully after a brief illness on March 22, 2015 at the age of 99. She was a resident of Chillicothe for 70 years and was an active member of the community for most of those years. Eleanor was married to the late James Vance Robinson for 68 years (CHS 1932), with whom she raised four children and lived an admirable life. 

Eleanor was born in Porterville, California on June 13, 1915, the daughter of Dr. Hewlett Oakley and his wife and nurse Anna Mary Oakley. After her father's premature death, Eleanor moved with her mother and two sisters to Claremont, California. For much of her adolescence, the Oakley sisters attended school in Claremont and spent their summers in Newport Beach, a place that evoked fond memories for the rest of her life. After high school, Eleanor stayed in Claremont to attend Pomona College, where she met her future husband, Jim Robinson, and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1936. 

Eleanor and Jim were married in Claremont on July 23, 1938. They spent their first years as newlyweds in Urbana, Illinois while Jim completed his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois. The couple moved to Buffalo, New York for several years that were most notable for the births of two children, Virginia Vance Robinson and Charles Oakley Robinson. Palo Alto, California was the next stop for the young family, where Jim worked at Stanford University and Eleanor gave birth to their third child, Hewlett Ann Robinson. The five-member Robinson family moved to Chillicothe in 1945, a place Eleanor had not visited prior to the move. Their fourth and final child, James Parker Robinson, was later born in Chillicothe. 

In addition to her distinctive sense of humor, Eleanor will be remembered by the many forms of volunteer work and community service that she performed in Chillicothe. The list of activities and organizations with which she was involved is long and varied. It included: Chillicothe Public Library, Chillicothe Hospital, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Ross County Blood Bank, Friends in Service Helping Others (FISH), and American Field Service. Eleanor was an active member and patron of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. She was also a member of the American Association of University Women and the New Century Club.

Eleanor was a talented seamstress and completed seven complex embroidered illustrated maps, including a rendition of the Bayeux tapestry. She also dabbled in watercolors, producing several display-worthy paintings. With her husband, she was an accomplished small-boat sailor and a world traveler.

Eleanor is survived by her four children, Virginia Prutow (wife of the late Dr, Richard Prutow) of San Diego, CA, Charles Oakley Robinson (Delma Swearingen) of Prosser, WA, Hewlett (Thomas) Prucher of St. Charles, IL, and James P. Robinson of Salt Lake City, UT. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held at 12 noon, Saturday April 4, 2015 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church with Rev. Paul Daggett officiating. There will be no calling hours. Arrangements are under the direction of WARE FUNERAL HOME.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 33 E. Main Street, Chillicothe, OH 45601.

~ Published in the Chillicothe Gazette on Mar. 27, 2015

El Espiritu - 1932

Grandview Cemetery - Chillicothe, Ohio

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=147262844