ROBINSON Dorothy Robinson 86 years old from Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids passed peacefully into death early morning November 29 2010. She was preceded in death by her first husband Hans (Tommy) Thomson; sister Alice Marie Canty and brother Chester Barron. Dorothy is survived by her husband Jack Robinson; sons Peter Thomson (Jan), Mark Thomson (Annie) and Paul Thomson (Pam) and daughters Dorothy Vander Male (John) and Jean Peck. Surviving also are her beloved grandchildren Christopher Thomson Mary Thomson Emily Anderson (Ryan), Katy Borowka (Mike), Robert Thomson Sarah Thomson Amy Thomson Meghan Vander Male Timothy Vander Male Julie Vander Male Laura Greene (Michael) and Daniel Peck. Finally there are three great-grandchildren Jack and Elizabeth (Libby) Anderson and Daniel Greene. Born Dorothy Barron she was a very proud graduate of Girls Latin School in Boston as well as Boston University. She prided herself in the impeccable use of the English language and scolded her children whenever they misused an adverb. She was a homemaker until the mid sixties when she became a teacher in the Head Start program. She went on to teach preschool in the Grand Rapids Public Schools for 17 years. Dorothy was a devout Catholic and prayed the rosary nightly until her memory loss prohibited it in her final years. A member of St. Andrews Parish she was a regular volunteer for the church as well as the Emmaus Clothing Outreach Program. She was a devoted wife to Hans Thomson until his death in 1979. She then married Jack Robinson who became a treasured member of her family. She and Jack enjoyed a wonderful retirement of travel as well as their cozy home and pool in Ada. She was fiercely proud of her children grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was also a good and loyal friend with a quick wit and ready smile. She will be missed and remembered dearly by all who knew her. The family wants to thank the kind and caring staff at Clark Retirement Community who held her hand gently on her journey through memory loss as well as the staff of St. Marys who attended her in the last hours of her life. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on December 3 at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew 265 Sheldon Blvd. SE at. Visitation will be held at the OBrien-Gerst Funeral Home 3980 Cascade Rd. SE on December 2 from 2-4 & 6-8 PM. Rosary will follow the evening visitation. Memorial donations can be made to the Benevolent Care Fund at Clark Retirement Community 1551 Franklin SE Grand Rapids MI 49506 and to St. Johns Home 2355 Knapp St. NE Grand Rapids MI 49505.
