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Robert N. Robbins Wilkesboro, NC QCWA # 31655 Chapter 126 |
Robert Norman Robbins, age 92, died peacefully at home on September 19, 2022. Originally from Ellenboro, Norman lived in Wilkesboro, NC for his last 56 years. He had just celebrated a remarkable 75 years of marriage to the love of his life, Shirley May Rice Robbins. He and Shirley lived a life rich with family including 3 children (Brian, Bonita and Donna) and their spouses, 6 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and many more beloved extended family members.
In his early adulthood, Norman served in the US Navy and notably was a radio operator on the aircraft carrier and flagship USS Philippine Sea during Admiral Byrd's Operation Highjump expedition to Antarctica. Norman was the consummate aviation professional. At age 4, his dad took him to an air show, and that planted the seed for a remarkable career. He first soloed at age 16 and was the second pilot hired by Lowe's Companies. During his 28 years at Lowe's he was Chief Pilot, Director of Aviation, and brought Lowe's into the jet age. Norman was a well-versed hobbyist and continued to learn throughout his lifetime. He was a long-term ham radio enthusiast, an amateur photographer, a creative woodworker and a technology expert. He was strong and sharp to his last day and could always be found fixing someone's computer or helping them solve their tech problems. Norman will be remembered for many remarkable things, but his family's most cherished memories are those of the many ways he demonstrated a lifetime of love and support to them all. He was known throughout the amateur radio airwaves in earlier years as N4AGN and later years as W4HF. His last recorded words were from his September 18 transmission, W4HF signing off. For now.
