John Purviance Robinson's Obituary
John Purviance Robinson, age 97, of Fayetteville, AR, passed away Thursday, September 14, 2023. He was born May 24, 1926, in Tulsa, OK, the son of the late Boyd A. Robinson and Minta Hollis Robinson. His spouse, Dorothy Lee Cowan Robinson preceded him in death in 2017.
After graduation from high school, John joined the U.S. Navy. After electrician’s school and submarine training his unit was dispatched to the Philippines. He thought they would eventually be invading Japan, but it all came to an abrupt end when the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. After the Navy he graduated from John Brown University with a degree in Home Economics and ended up in Fayetteville as the Director of Food Service at the University of Arkansas, which he retired from after 32 years. John was a member of First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon. He headed up the Deaf Ministry at the church and served as a liaison with the deaf community in Fayetteville for many years. He enjoyed baking, especially his famous cinnamon rolls. John was also an avid runner. He was one of the original runners in the Hog Eye Marathon held at the University of Arkansas. He also qualified for the Boston Marathon several times.
Survivors are his children, Suzie Shackelford and husband, David, Richard Robinson and wife, Vickie, Jane Thompson, Laurie MacDonald and husband, Bruce, Cathy Houser and husband Andre; fifteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Fayetteville, 20 E Dickson St., Fayetteville, Ark. 72701.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Fayetteville or Butterfield Trail Village. The family would like to thank Butterfield Healthcare staff and Circle of Life Hospice for the care John received.
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