Ben A. Robinson
Apr 20, 2018A native of Hickory, he was born on Jan. 3, 1929, the son of the late Ralph Alexander and Annie Lee Carpenter Robinson. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by two brothers, Ralph Lee Robinson and Robert R. Robinson. Ben was educated in Hickory City Schools and Lenoir Rhyne College, Hickory. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers during the Korean Conflict in 1951-1952.Ben spent a career in business, specifically sales and marketing. Prior to starting his own sales company in Charlotte in 1973, he held positions at Hickory Manufacturing Company and at Southern Desk Company, both of Hickory. For 25 years before his retirement in 1997, he operated the B.A. Robinson Company in Charlotte, an independent technical sales agency dealing in engineered industrial instruments and controls.Ben was a past member of the Charlotte Lions Club, the Charlotte City Club, the Manufacturers Agents National Association and Waynesville Kiwanis Club. He was a conservative Republican believing in the values of self-reliance and self-determination. Ben often wrote letters to the editor of newspapers believing that endeavor to be a mark of good citizenship.Ben was a lifetime active United Methodist and served in layman’s capacity in church leadership positions. Throughout his life he confessed his personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This formed his life beliefs and personal dealings with others. Ben is survived by his wife of 62 years, Shirley Keller Robinson; son, David Scott Robinson, of Charlotte; daughter, Ann Robinson Trader, and her husband, Richard Dean Trader, of Lake Junaluska; two granddaughters, Caroline Nicole Trader, of Raleigh and Lauren Elizabeth Trader, of Lake Junaluska; two sisters, Jane R. Duncan, of High Point and Betty R. Quinn, of Atlantic Beach.Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. Keith Turman officiating. Burial will follow at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. ... (The Mountaineer)
