Grace Robinson

Obituary

FIVE score and 2 years ago, May 20, 1918, on a farm in Carroll County, Mississippi, a baby girl, the 10th of 11 children, was born to Jim Brandon and Narcissus Walker Brandon.

As the child grew, she learned many valuable lessons of life. One of them being how there was a time for all things, in its season. She learned the enormous responsibility of nurturing by feeding the farm animals that depended on her. Her days were filled with continuous work in the kitchen preparing meals; in the fields picking cotton; in the barn milking cows; in the hen house gathering the eggs or any one of many chores that were hers to do in her turn.

The evenings were filled with the family gathered around the fireplace in the living room, reliving the events of the day. They laughed and teased one another; they sang and told stories to one another and kept their parents amused.

In 1945 the course of her life history led to Staten Island, New York where her husband, Andrew Robinson (now deceased) was stationed at the Army base in Fox Hill, Staten Island. Andrew sent for Grace and their two children, Arthur (now deceased) and Natherine, to join him in an apartment he located on Richmond Terrace.

The family changed their residence from Richmond Terrace to Richmond Street. One day a few women of this new neighborhood asked Grace if she would allow the children to attend Sunday School at their church. Grace noticed that there was something different about them, about their countenance, about their conversation and she didn’t quite understand what it was. She consented for the children to attend the church, never thinking that God would draw her right back to church through her children. God’s plan for Grace was at work.

Soon, she started work for the Lord in the church. She visited and cared for the sick in their home, doing whatever she could to help them. She visited hospitals and nursing homes; encouraging those she knew as well as those she had never met.

Sister Robinson cared for children, not through a city agency, but if there was a child that needed her special nurturing, the parents would bring the child to her and they became part of her family until the Lord said otherwise. Today, some of these children are yet on Staten Island and have families of their own. Some call her on the telephone and others she meets as she shops in her home area or out at the mall. They all remember the time spent in her home and the loving care they received.

For many years Sister Robinson served as Sunday School Superintendent and most people thought she had a large family because every time they saw her, she had several children with her. They were neighborhood children that accompanied her and her two children to Sunday School, to parks for picnics or sometimes to South Beach.

Over the years she has held many offices in the church. She has served as President of the Senior Choir, President of the Prayer and Bible Band, has been a member of the hospitality board, an usher and was a Prayer Warrior.

At the age of 50, Sister Grace Robinson became the Church Mother at First Church of God in Christ and has served in this capacity, faithfully and lovingly, for over 40 years.

In 1981 she retired from Staten Island University Hospital after 19 years of service.

On June 11, 1988, Mother Grace Robinson was presented with an award for 25 years of dedicated service at First Church of God in Christ. On October 5, 1996, Mother Louidell Green, Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women and Bishop Clarence L. Sexton, Prelate of 2nd Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Eastern N.Y., Church of God in Christ, presented Mother Grace Robinson with the first Louise Kitchen-Rice Senior Mother’s Award, for 49 years of service. This award was presented in loving memory of the late Mother Louise Kitchen-Rice.

On Thursday, February 26, 1998, Mother Grace Robinson was one of eight Staten Islanders to receive the 1998 Black American Achievement Award given by the Office of the President of the Borough of Staten Island, Guy V. Molinari.

Sunday, May 20, 2018 had been declared, Grace Robinson day, on Staten Island, by President of the Borough of Staten Island, James S. Oddo.

If you were to ask, “Mother Robinson, what do you think about Jesus?” She would respond, “He’s all right! He just keeps on doing great things for me, where of I am glad.” She passed on Monday, June 15, 2020.

She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Natherine Lewis; daughter-in-love, Mrs. Bernice Robinson; grandchildren, Ms. Andrea D. Lewis, Mr. Gary A. Robinson, Ms. L. Rena Lewis, Ms. Ava G. Robinson; 11 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren; and many, many others that she considered her children and grandchildren. Preceding her in death, her husband, Mr. Andrew Robinson, son, Mr. Arthur E. Robinson, granddaughter, Mrs. Jean Michelle Myers and son-in-love, Elder Andrew L. Lewis.

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