Ethellea Jane (Early) Robinson
Ethellea Jane (Early) Robison, 88, of Vernon, Texas, died Monday, February 15, 2016 at home. She was born December 20, 1927, in Stinnett, Texas, the only surviving daughter of Jacob Edward Early and Myrtle Ethel Weaver Early. A graduate of Stinnett High School, she attended Texas Women’s College (later Texas State College for Women) and worked over the years as a bookkeeper and secretary, most notably for the San Antonio Golf Association. She served as president of her homeowners association for a number of years. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, San Antonio Chapter; the Military Civilian Wives association, Eastern Star, and supported numerous charities and organizations for veterans and military wives.
She married Jack Robin Robison, M.D., of Borger, Texas, on June 19, 1947. After a brief stint in private practice, he joined the United States Air Force, and together they served their country for more than 25 years including assignments in the Philippines, Mississippi, Washington DC, Illinois, and finally San Antonio in 1965 where she resided until recently. This sparked her lifelong love of travel and adventure. She subsequently traveled the nation and the globe, visiting the British Isles, Greece, Turkey, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Northern Europe just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and even the North Pole.
Wherever Jack was assigned she joined, and often directed community activities and, on one occasion, served as both the Producer and Director of a local production of the play, “Harvey” to benefit the local public school. She initiated an annual outdoor ecumenical Easter sunrise observation that continued for several years. She never hesitated to express her opinion, and was ahead of her time in being outspoken against bigotry and racial discrimination, and in favor of nature conservation. She was athletic, considered a good tennis player when younger, and was known to have thrown batting practice for her son’s baseball team. She was a good golfer, but for many years especially loved – and excelled at – bowling and bridge, making many close friends over the years while participating in these activities. She was a strong and determined woman who lived independently after the untimely death of her husband in 1975. She had an abiding interest in her own family genealogy, and together with her daughter, edited and published the oral history of her maternal grandmother, Unbroken Circle. In addition to loving and being a passionate advocate for her family and friends, she loved animals, history, and anything related to the past. Her witticisms and folksy sayings are renown. All who knew her realized she was a vibrant and unique individual, and loved her in return.
She will be deeply missed by survivors that include two sons, Jacob Gordon Robison, M.D., and his wife Debbie Drane Robison of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, and Jon David Robison of Wheatridge, Colorado; her daughter Jeri Robison Turner and her husband David D. Turner of Quanah, Texas; her brother, Thomas R. Early of the Woodlands, Texas, eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews, friends, caregivers and associates.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016
11:00 A.M.
PORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL
A private interment will be held in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio The Jack R. Robison and E. Jane Endowed Scholarship Fund, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio TX 78229, https://makelivesbetter.uthscsa.edu/robison, The American Lupus Foundation, www.lupus.org, or any local hospice.
You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com
Arrangements with
PORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH
2102 NORTH LOOP 1604 EAST
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78232 – (210) 495-8221