Obituary

Frank Robinson
January 7, 1934 – February 21, 2025
Laguna Niguel

Frank Robinson, beloved husband, father and 61 year resident of Laguna Niguel passed away on February 21, 2025. Frank departed the life he cherished peacefully and bravely surrounded by his loving family. He was 91 years old. Frank was known for his remarkable intelligence, empathy and his inimitable sense of humor, traits which served as the foundation of his life.

Frank Robinson was born on January 7,1934 to Irish immigrants Patrick and Sarah Robinson in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn New York. Young Frank was skinny, ambidextrously athletic and very bright. He earned the nickname “Bones” from his friends. It was not uncommon to see ‘Bones” playing stickball in the front of his apartment building or bouncing a basketball down the neighborhood street. Frank also adored the Dodgers as a child and frequently attended their baseball games at the legendary Ebbets Field where he watched the likes of Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese and Gil Hodges. This passion for the Dodgers lasted his entire life and luckily ended with the Dodgers defeating the loathsome Yankees in his final year.

Frank was gifted academically. He attended the prestigious Brooklyn Technical High School then earned a degree from City College New York’s distinguished engineering program. In 1956 a promising job opportunity in the Aerospace Industry brought Frank to Los Angeles. There, by a chance meeting in his apartment building, he met Mary Aker, the love of his life, with whom he ultimately shared 67 years of marriage. The newlyweds settled in Los Angeles County and in 1959 had their first child Patricia and in 1960 had their second child William. To Franks delight his beloved Dodgers followed him out west the following year.

In 1961 Frank’s burgeoning engineering career led to an exciting assignment in Europe. Frank and his young family had many adventures during their two year stint overseas and made life long friends while living in Germany, Italy and Holland. It was in Holland in 1963 their third child Kevin was born before the Robinsons returned to the United States and added their fourth child Stephanie in 1965 to the growing menage.

Given his sharp analytical mind and ardent commitment to excellence, Frank developed a stellar reputation as an engineer. Through the years he worked on several imaginative and culturally significant projects. One such project for NASA, The Ranger 7, landed on the moon in 1964 providing the first close up images of the moon’s surface and became a harbinger of lunar exploration.

In 1965 Frank moved his growing family to a new home in Laguna Niguel and in 1969 added a fifth child Carol to their lives. The now completed Robinson household thrived in this warm, loving environment for over six joyous decades marked by laughter and a tapestry of memorable experiences and milestones.

Beyond his work and family, Frank applied his talents and dedication to supporting his treasured community. In 1968 he would volunteer as an umpire in Little League, a role he would perform over the next 40 years with integrity and passion. Frank was so skilled at umpiring he was asked to call the shots at the 1998 Little League World Series and most notably umpired the longest Little League World Series Game in history. The televised game was named one of the top 10 sporting highlights of the year by ESPN. Frank will also be remembered as one of the founding architects of the Laguna Niguel Little League which still serves the city today.

Frank’s life was also defined by his active role in preserving his community, notably leading an initiative that prevented a freeway from slicing through his neighborhood. Driven by a Brooklyn street smart ethos he revealed the shadowy dealings behind the proposal and helped to protect the homes of hundreds of residents of Laguna Niguel.

A man of profound wit and intellectual depth, Frank could dissect the complexities of both math and the human experience. His analytical nature was paired with a remarkable sense of humor, infused with the unmistakable charm of a true old school Brooklynite. Always ready with a story or subtle observation, those who knew him cherished the opportunity to engage with his expansive mind and empathetic outlook. This unique blend of traits was most manifested in his undying love for his family. Frank’s ability to tackle a crisis with calm precision became the protective cornerstone of the Robinson household. He will be greatly missed.

Predeceased by his parents Patrick and Sarah Robinson, his brother James and his sister Sally, Frank’s passing leaves a profound void but also a legacy that will be forever carried by his wife Mary, their children: Patricia, William, Kevin, Stephanie, and Carol; grandchildren: Katie, Elizabeth, Dakota, Davia, and Dalila; and great-grandchildren Daisy and Alice. Funeral services will be held at Saint Timothys Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel on April 4th at !0am. In lieu of flowers a donation to St Vincent’s Society at St Timothy’s, 29102 Crown Valley Pkwy Laguna Niguel 92677, would be appreciated.

On Frank’s penultimate day alive, an attending doctor, noting his age and seeing him surrounded by his large family, commented to his patient that he appears to have lived a full life. Not one prone to pretense or exaggeration, Frank gathered his strength and leaned towards the Doctor and said, “It was the best life EVER…” then pointed to his wife Mary and continued “…because of her.” The Robinson family agrees with Frank’s final analysis and would like to say that Frank Robinson was the greatest Husband, Father, friend, neighbor and Dodger fan – EVER!