Fred Kenneth Robinson

Fred Kenneth Robinson, 86, of Gonzales, passed away Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.  Fred was born Dec. 1, 1929 to Theodore Elic Robinson and Marie Cotton Robinson. Fred married Myrtle Ann Lester on Oct. 20, 1952 in Monthalia, a marriage enriched by love and blessed with 63 years of mutual adoration. 

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Men, he was a life member of the Sons of Hermann and had been a member of the Gonzales County Young Farmer’s Association. Fred had faithfully served in the Texas National Guard, served as an assistant master scout leader for the Boy Scouts of America and for many years he had assisted in the kitchen preparing meals for the First United Methodist Church vacation Bible school.

Fred was born and raised in Gonzales. Early on he rode horseback working cattle for the Carnes family.  He worked for the Texas Highway Department for 30 years, starting as an equipment operator working his way up to maintenance supervisor. Fred had a tremendous work ethic and believed you should report to work early and work productively every day. Fred also worked for Seydler-Hill and O’Bannon Funeral Homes for over 20 years where his love of community truly shined and his assistance is profoundly missed.

Fred Robinson was a firm yet loving father. “No” always meant no and right or wrong there was always a lesson within. He enjoyed time spent with his family; he took the time to share his faith and beliefs in responsibility and accountability. 

He liked to cook and enjoyed dinner with his family and coffee at 4 p.m. Fred and his wife Ann made the most delicious Christmas cookies with Fred carefully in charge of setting out the ingredients and chopping and cutting the same in a way that was distinctly his own. He was so very proud of his daughter and relished the doting love of his “daddy’s girl.” He was delighted that his daughter replicated the same love of family, faith and community that he sought to inspire. 

Fred enjoyed fishing, hunting and NASCAR. He looked forward to opening day of deer season; he was an excellent marksman and always filled his tags. For the benefit of others, he gave most of the venison away to those who sought this delicacy. He loved the outdoors and the camaraderie of deer camp, but what he loved most was time with his son and together they enjoyed years of hunting together and accumulated deer camp stories that will last forever. 

As his family grew Fred bought a camper and the family vacationed every summer in the camper seeing nearly every state park in Texas. He enjoyed trips to Branson and other excursions accompanied by his wife. 

Fred loved working in his yard and early morning watering of shrubs and flower beds. However what he loved most was his vegetable garden. Fred was the neighborhood titleholder of magnificent homegrown tomatoes. His garden was prepared to perfection early every spring, the planting perfectly timed and beds kept immaculate through the growing season. He proudly shared his produce with neighbors and his church family and clearly his tomatoes were full of a flavor that can only come from an extraordinary gardener.

In the neighborhood and too many of his friends and church family he was known as “Mr. Fred.”  Mr. Fred always presented a welcoming smile, an open hand for a gentlemen’s hand shake or arms spread wide for a warm hug followed by an affectionate teeth jarring pat on the back. His nature was the same for the neighborhood dogs who would run to greet him and receive the same bone rattling pats of love and words of encouragement, the same couldn’t be said for the neighborhood cats. 

Mr. Fred was always available to help those in need, whether it was tending to an unwanted varmint, chain sawing a tree, assisting in repairing a lawn implement or helping a fallen neighbor to their feet.  He was strong in so many ways, certainly physically but also in his faith. He very seldom missed Sunday worship services.

Gonzales and especially the neighborhood in which he called home have lost a man that uniquely makes Gonzales a community worth living and worth loving. The notion of there never being another Mr. Fred calls to mind Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So every neighbor, child or adult, every member of his church family and all those who knew Mr. Fred, have unmistakably witnessed the brightness of his light, his good deeds and we shall glorify our Father in heaven for having known such a man with a loving and generous heart like our Mr. Fred.

Fred Kenneth Robinson is survived by his loving wife, Myrtle Ann Robinson; daughter, Deborah Ann Robinson of Gonzales, son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth Wayne and Rebecca Marie Robinson of Warrenton; sister and brother-in-law, Peggy and Calvin Schmeltekopf of San Marcos and his beloved grandson and his wife, James Wesley and Sharon Robinson of San Antonio. He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Samuel William Robinson; brother, Thomas Robinson and a sister, Anniemarie Lee.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 in the First United Methodist Church with Pastor Andy Smith officiating. Interment will follow in the Gonzales Odd Fellows Cemetery. Pallbearers include Jimmy Borrer, Robert Jones, Jared Markham, Ronnie Menking, Clay Schmeltekopf, Tommy Schurig, Troy Williams and Jay Zgarba. Honorary pallbearers are the staff of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. 

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday evening in the funeral home.  Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church building fund or the Church’s bereavement committee.  Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.