August 24, 1942 – December 5, 2022

Robert Nelson Robinson Jr. was born August 24, 1942 at the Solandt
Memorial Hospital in Hayden, CO. He joined his sister Lois and completed the family of Robert Nelson and Marguerite Dunckley Robinson. At the time of his birth the family lived in Wolcott CO where Bob Sr. worked for the State Highway Department.

The Robinson family eventually moved back to Hayden where Bobby attended Edison Elementary School. Stories of his childhood are filled with many memories that always included working and learning from his father, getting into mischief with his pals, outdoor adventures and the wholesome goodness of his parents cooking that often included venison steak, fresh baked bread and home churned butter.

Bobby attended Hayden Union High School. His shenanigans there left teachers exasperated, many young ladies with broken hearts and a few gray hairs for his parents. He worked the job of a grown man even before entering his teens, running heavy equipment and driving truck long before he was old enough to have a drivers license. At the age of 14 he purchased a Harley Davidson on which he “profiled” around town, charming the ladies and traumatizing his parents. He worked hard and played hard and he and his buddies were the quintessential but far better than Hollywood version of the wild and reckless teens of the 50’s. He loved cool cars and later developed a love of airplanes and at a very young age purchased a Stinson Voyager airplane which he cherished.

He proudly enlisted in the United States Army in May of 1964 and served during the Vietnam War where again, the stories of his shenanigans were legendary. However, he was always a protector of the underdog and made sure his fellow servicemen were safe and yet well entertained. He was honorably discharged in April of 1966. For the remainder of his life, he was a proud patriot of this country he loved so dearly.

On April 30, 1967 he married Suellen Morgan at the Congregational Church in Hayden. Together they participated in many town parades where Suellen forced Bobby to “dress the part” of whatever theme was represented. Together with their friends Ronnie and Maryann Bugay and Hank and Marie Rader they formed a dance band called The Chapparals. They played every Saturday night at Down the Hatch bar in Steamboat as well as many dances in Hayden, Craig and Baggs WY. While never formally trained as a musician. Bobby was a gifted guitar player and vocalist. He maintained his love of classic country music and could often be heard all over town with his radio blaring and his loud pipes roaring as he made his daily rounds.

In 1968 Bobby and Suellen welcomed a daughter Alena Sue and in 1972 a son Dallas Robert. Together they instilled in their family a love of nature with many camping trips, family picnics and weekend drives that still lives on in his granddaughters today. If he didn’t have an answer to a human problem he would often defer to the perfect order of the wild animals and their environment for wisdom.
Charitable giving and service to the community was an essential value and source of pride that he shared with his father. These values were also perpetuated through their membership in the Masonic Lodge and Shriners organizations. Through these fraternities they were able to contribute to the educational scholarships and to the Shriners Children’s Hospitals where injured or ill children could be treated free of charge.
Together with his father Bob Sr. and later with his son Dallas he built a successful business where he instilled in Dallas the principals of honesty, integrity, respect, honor, duty and service to the community.

While he considered himself retired, he never stopped working. He could be found every morning working on any of the many restoration projects he had going. During his lifetime he faced health issues that could have slowed him down but he faced every one of them with supernatural strength and courage, never ever complaining, only conquering. He believed completely in the power of prayer and positive thinking. He loved with his whole heart and that included not only his family but his many dear friends.