Sue Robinson

ue Elise Robinson, 76, of Kalamazoo, passed away peacefully in the early hours of December 21, 2024, following an extended illness. She was born in Detroit, Michigan on October 10, 1948, the fourth child of June and Homer Robinson. She is survived by her siblings Michael Robinson of Kalamazoo, Mary (Robinson) Ullrich of Moscow, Idaho, and James Robinson of Picton, Ontario, Canada; sisters-in-law Donna Robinson of Kalamazoo and Shelly Robinson of Picton, many beloved cousins and former husbands, David Helt and Patrick Joyce of Billings, Montana. She attended college at Western Michigan University, then transferred to Wayne State University in Detroit from which she earned bachelor's and master's degrees. Sue had a decades-long career as a high school world history teacher in Billings and traveled around the world on many teacher tours as well as several Fulbright Scholarship trips. The Middle East and Asia Minor held a special place in her heart, especially Armenia, Syria, Jordan, and Azerbaijan. Before her illness Sue was active with Colleagues International (now Global Ties Kalamazoo), an organization that hosts international cultural and professional exchanges for the purpose of enriching global diversity, "one relationship at a time". Sue fostered those relationships through hosting and entertaining numerous visitors from a wide range of countries during their stays in Kalamazoo. Another of Sue's passions was historic preservation. She served on the Kalamazoo Historic District Commission for a brief time and was especially interested in educating the public about Native American history in Kalamazoo. There was very little she did that was done halfway: from redecorating her family's 1880's farmhouse in Northern Michigan to creating a fanciful collection of needlepointed Kliban cat cushions that have softened many Robinson family members' dining room chairs over the last several years. A celebration of Sue's remarkable life will take place this summer at the Robinson Farm near Kingsley, Michigan. For information on the date and time, please email Michael Robinson at robime@iu.edu. Those who wish are encouraged to make a donation in her name to Global Ties Kalamazoo, 225 W. Walnut St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007