Kenneth Robinson

Kenneth Robinson February 14, 1929 - January 18, 2016 Kenneth Robinson passed away suddenly, but peacefully, on Sunday, January 18, 2016, and is grieved by family and friends from the many circles in which he lived and served. His Memorial service will be 12:00 noon, Friday, Jan. 22, at Seventh & James Baptist Church. Visitation will be 5 – 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Garden Room. Major General K.L. Robinson (USMC, retired) was born on Feb. 14, 1929, in Lynn, Massachusetts. He grew up in Swampscott, Massachusetts, surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. Industrious from an early age, Ken served as an altar boy and worked as a soda jerk at Eaton’s Drug Store while attending St. Mary’s High School. He earned his Eagle Scout designation, which hangs on his office wall to this day. He funded his education by joining the Marine Corps reserves, graduating from Boston College with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1950. He attended Basic Officer School and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, USMC in June of that year. Ken married his high school sweetheart, Marie Louise Cormier, also of Lynn, and they raised a family of five children while following his career. Together, they adventured through tours of duty in Arlington, Virginia, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Vallejo, California, San Diego, California, and Okinawa, Japan. They weathered several remote tours of duty, including combat stints in Korea and Vietnam, where he was awarded the Legion of Merit with combat “V” or “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services” during that duty. After Vietnam, Ken returned to Virginia for duty at Headquarters USMC, as well as at the Pentagon, providing daily briefings and support to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As part of his career path, he attended the Naval War College and subsequently earned his MS degree in Business Administration from George Washington University. Over the course of 33 years in the Corps, he held various commands, including the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa and, ultimately, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where he served as Commanding General until his retirement in 1983. Ken’s avocational involvement with board of Navy Federal Credit Union laid the groundwork for what would become his second career. After retiring from military duty, Ken and Marie returned to Northern Virginia and settled in the neighborhood where they had retained a home and several of their children lived. He became the President/CEO of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) where he worked with the White House and numerous committees of Congress in service of “doing well by doing good” within the financial community. During his 17-year tenure, NAFCU contributed significantly to legislation that secured the charter of Credit Unions. He was a consultant to the Treasury under Alan Greenspan and was named one of the country’s 40 Most Influential Financial Leaders, yet retained a spirit of humility, service and good humor within that arena. Lifelong, Ken was active in the Catholic Church, and after retiring from NAFCU in 2000, he took on various tasks in support of the financial health of Saint Agnes Parish in Arlington, Virginia, and, subsequently, the local diocese. He helped Marines leaving active duty to network and become acclimated to civilian life and work, and served as a coordinator of military funerals and burials in the Northern Virginia and Washington DC. He remained connected to friends from the USMC, NAFCU and the broader community, as well as traveling each year back to New England to visit family and friends. Ken was widowed in 2009. On one of his visits to his hometown of Swampscott, Ken reconnected with high school friends, including Sally Bryant. Originally from Belmont, Massachusetts, Sally’s family had summered at the beach in Swampscott while growing up. She and Ken shared a circle of friends, and both had the same picture of themselves laughing together on the Swampscott beach as teens. A romance kindled between them and they married in 2010. Ken moved to Waco, where Sally had raised three children and been fully involved in the fabric of life. He added the Baylor Bears to his preferred sports teams and became quickly immersed in the community. He enjoyed time with Sally’s family and took on roles as the President of the Heart of Texas Chapter Military Officers Association (MOAA) in 2014. At the time of his death, he was serving as President of the Kiwanis Club of Waco Seniors. Ken was predeceased by his wife, Marie; and grandson, Jason. He is survived by his wife, Sally Bryant Robinson; his five children, Ed Robinson, Elaine Bickel, Ruth Cook, Danae Hamlin and Gordon Robinson, and their respective spouses, children and grandchildren; as well as Sally’s children, Leslie Chechen, Lisa Vickers and Chip Bryant, and their children and grandchildren. Ken was known for his good nature, involvement and service. He’ll be missed by many who were impacted by his leadership, kindness and generosity, and by a large and loving family. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.