Martha Louene Haynes Robinson, 86, a longtime resident of Foley, died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, at home after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 15, 1924, in Columbus, Ohio, she was the daughter of Herbert Clark and Emma May Boggs Haynes.
She attended public schools in Columbus from 1930 to 1942. She studied at Ohio State University from 1942 to 1947, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in home economics with emphasis on consumer service. She was a volunteer USO hostess at Ohio State during World War II.
She and her husband married Dec. 28, 1947, in Columbus and moved the next year to Foley to join his father and a brother in starting a seed-corn business, which later became a manufacturing interest. She worked alongside her husband and children in the family business known as Robinson Co.
She worked for more than 25 years as a substitute teacher in all Foley public schools.
She served as secretary of the Foley Parent-Teacher Association, president and secretary of the Foley Band Parents Association and treasurer of the Foley chapter of American Field Service.
At First Presbyterian Church of Foley, she was an active member, serving as Sunday School superintendent, a choir member, president of Women of the Church and a circle chairman.
In the late 1970s, she was a feature writer for The Independent newspaper in Robertsdale.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and one granddaughter, Rebecca Garner.
Survivors include her husband, John B. Robinson; son, Steven (Dianne) Robinson of Vinings, Ga.; three daughters, Cynthia Robinson of Foley, Linda (Robert) Garner of Snellville, Ga., and Mary (Gregory) McNair of Foley; grandchildren, Adam (Andrea) Garner of Norcross, Ga., Josh (Susan) Robinson of Smyrna, Ga., Philip (Cynthia) Garner of Snellville, Ga., Joy (Dan) Roark of Marietta, Ga., and Andrea (Brett) Moore of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; and great-grandchildren, Kyla and Meira Robinson of Marietta, Ga., Abigail Garner of Norcross, Ga., Price Roark of Marietta, Ga., and Avery Moore of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Visitation and reception will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 in the narthex of First Presbyterian Church, Foley with a memorial service at 2 p.m. from the church sanctury with the Rev. Dr. Jay Warthen officiating. A private family graveside service will be held at Pine Rest Cemetery.
The family requests memorial donations be made to First Presbyterian Church, 195 E. Berry Ave., Foley, AL 36535, or Presbyterian Home for Children, P.O. Drawer 577, Talladega, AL 35161.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
