Peter H. Robinson

Peter H. Robinson, Ph.D., 85, of Moline and Macomb, Illinois, died Tuesday, May 7, 2019, at Amber Ridge Assisted Living, Moline. A Celebration of Life will be held 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 31st, at City View Celebrations on the lower level at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 1st at St. George's Anglican Church, Macomb. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Peter H. Robinson Endowment for the Black Hawk College Foundation, St. George's Church or the Humane Society.

Peter Horner Robinson was born August 24, 1933, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, to William and Emma (Archer) Robinson. He proudly served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment of the Army of Great Britain during the Korean War. He immigrated to the United States in 1955 and married Marian Meeske in 1956. He worked for the Rock Island Railroad for 15 years while pursuing post graduate degrees and raising a family.

He attended Pocklington School, North Yorkshire, England, Leeds University, Leeds, England, Black Hawk College, Moline, and Northern Illinois University, DeKalb. He earned his Masters Degree from Northern Illinois University and his Doctorate from Ft. Lauderdale University. He was a professor at Black Hawk College in the Speech and Communications Department for 10 years. He was instrumental in establishing the Radio/TV Broadcasting curriculum and helped found the public TV station WQPT. While serving as an appointee to the State Commission on University Transfers in 1982 he created the Two Plus Two program that remains the governing protocol for transfers from Community Colleges to all State Universities in Illinois. He joined Western Illinois University in 1984, serving as the Director of Community Relations and Assistant Dean of Admissions until his retirement in 1998.

Peter was an active member and Elder of St. George's Anglican Church in Macomb. He was a long-time model railroader: co-founder of the Lamoine Valley Model Railroad Club and owner/operator of the British/American Model Railroad Company. He was active in community theatre, including Playcrafters and Music Guild and sang baritone for many years in the annual performance of Handel's Messiah at Augustana College.

Peter is survived by his four daughters: Susan Robinson Witmer of Rock Island, Lynn (Albert) Robinson Jacquez of Dunn Loring, Virginia, Lori (Eron) Robinson Caro of Des Moines, Iowa, and Nancy Robinson (Kelly Starner) of Kansas City, Missouri and his first wife, Marian Robinson of Oakton, Virginia. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren - Adam Witmer, Phillip Witmer, Victoria Witmer, Alex Jacquez, Evan Jacquez, Becca Smith, Zachary Smith, Joshua Caro, Colin Starner, Ian Starner, Tristan Starner and one great-grandchild, Theodore Peter Witsman.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his second wife, Patricia Pietzonka Robinson.

The family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com.