Patricia Robinson made sacred music for her church and a loving home for her family

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, The Herald-Mail runs “A Life Remembered.” Each story in this continuing series takes a look back — through the eyes of family, friends, co-workers and others — at a member of the community who died recently. Today’s “A Life Remembered” is about Patricia Ann Robinson, who died on Nov. 26 at the age of 78. Her obituary appeared in The Herald-Mail on Nov. 29.

Patricia Robinson was big on the little things.

She took in the beauty of her everyday surroundings and found joy in performing sacred music, collecting, reading and being a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, friend and servant of the Lord.

"Mom didn't have a big life," daughter Teresa Garling said. "She wasn't famous or anything like that, but she just loved her life and her family.

“She had a small life in some respects, but it was a big life to us."

Robinson came from humble beginnings.

She was born at her parents’ farm on White Hall Road in the Beaver Creek area and was delivered by her father, Henry Moser, because the doctor was delayed.

She attended the two-room Beaver Creek School, which had no indoor plumbing.

When Robinson was an adolescent, the family moved to another farm on Garis Shop Road near the state prison complex south of Hagerstown.

Her parents bought her a piano and gave her lessons because they wanted her to play at Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren, where the entire family worshiped.

By age 13 she was playing piano in Sunday school and vacation Bible school, and went on to play piano and organ for church services into her late 70s.

For many years she was the church's only organist and never missed a Sunday even while caring for her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

She also sang and led the choir, taught piano at vacation Bible school and sang as a member of The Brethren Triad trio.

When she was a student at Boonsboro High School, Robinson met the love of her life, Boyd M. Robinson Jr., during a basketball game against Clear Spring High School, where he was a student.

They married right after she graduated in 1961 and spent 54 years together until he died in 2015.

They first moved into an apartment, then built a house in Halfway and eventually built one at the Garis Shop Road farm. In 2009 they downsized and moved to Lakeside Village Mobile Home Park near Hagerstown.

Patricia began her secretarial career at then-Hagerstown Junior College and moved on to Hagerstown Trust, the Washington County Department of Social Services and then Western Maryland Hospital Center before she retired in 1999.

She also sold Sarah Coventry jewelry and Avon products, taking her young daughters with her to sales parties and to make deliveries while Boyd worked nights for the Western Maryland Railroad.

Patricia also kept busy keeping the family home up to her high standards.

"Growing up, I don't remember my mom ever sitting down," Teresa said.

She collected angels, Longaberger baskets, pottery, Thomas Kinkade villages and items that reminded her of the three Yorkshire terriers she had during her life, Abbey, Zoe and Zadie.

Late in life she became an avid reader, devouring books with feel-good stories on subjects such as the Christian faith, Amish life and Christmas.

She faithfully read daily devotionals such as The Upper Room, Guideposts and Our Daily Bread.

"That was part of her routine," daughter Karen Robinson Martin said. "She got up, made tea and would read her devotionals.

"That was a huge part of her life after our dad passed."

More:Doug Fowler worked hard at youth football, and won big

More:DeWitt Powell used his passion for cars to spread the Gospel

Patricia instilled her Christian faith in her daughters, but they never fully shared her passion for music.

Karen played flute and piccolo in the school band and Teresa played clarinet, but was able to drop it thanks to her younger sister, Angela Dunham.

"I basically bribed her into picking the clarinet so I could give it up," Teresa said with a laugh. "So I was still in the band, but I was in the flag squad."

Their parents became avid supporters, joining the band boosters and chaperoning trips to Florida and Texas and helping out in the concession stands at football games.

They were also active grandparents, attending their grandchildren's dance recitals, athletic competitions and school events.

And their love of animals meant that their girls had pets when they were growing up, ranging from dogs to hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, fish and even a pony for a while.

"We had a great childhood," Teresa said.

Their parents were generous with their time and resources, for example opening their home to coworkers to share a holiday meal or helping someone who was down on their luck.

"They gave a lot of themselves," Karen said.

After they both retired, they were able to spend more time in their camper at Saunderosa Park near Mercersburg, Pa.

"It was their home away from home," Teresa said.

"They loved it," Karen said.

Patricia had a way of connecting with people by keeping in touch with former coworkers, writing notes and letters to family members and picking out gifts especially suited to the recipient.

"Mom was really good at keeping lifelong friendships," Karen said.

She maintained a positive outlook and never complained about health challenges later in life that included back surgeries, limited mobility and heart trouble.

Still, her sudden passing came as a surprise after she was taken to the hospital with trouble breathing the day after Thanksgiving and died that night.

Her ability to maintain friendships to the end was evident when her daughters called friends to notify them of her passing.

"I'll bet half of them said, 'We just talked to your mother,'" Karen said.

Always available to provide music for special events, Patricia's alto singing voice was even featured at her own funeral.

The service included a 2018 video recording of one of the last performances of The Brethren Triad.

Karen and Teresa share the same fondest memory of their mother: the way she taught them how to endure difficult circumstances.

"She used to always say to me, 'Things happen for a reason, and we don't always understand why," Karen said.

"That meant, even though we don't always understand why, God will take care of us," Teresa said. "Even if something bad happens, He's going to be there."