Lloyd Austin Robinson
November 5, 1917 – May 11, 2010
Lloyd A. Robinson was born in Falcon, NC, November 5, 1917, the youngest child of A. E. Robinson, Sr. (author of The Layman and the Book) and Helen M. Spies Robinson, who were charter members of the Pentecostal Holiness Church organized in Falcon in 1911. A. E. was the first Secretary of the P. H. Church as a layman.
At the same time A. E. Robinson was elected, J. A. Culbreth was also elected as Treasurer. Culbreth was also a laymen. He never received credentials though he was a great leader—founder of Falcon Camp Meeting, the Falcon Holiness School, the Falcon Children’s Home, and the Culbreth Memorial Church. He also personally built the Octagon Tabernacle, as a place to hold prayer meetings and to preach holiness in Falcon.
A. E. Robinson and J. A. Culbreth were lay members of the original officers of the Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Lloyd Robinson was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Magdalene Messick; three brothers, Robert, Albert and Francis; his first wife, Gertrude (Tiny) Robinson; one stepdaughter, Jean Myers, and one step-grandchild, Judy Broughton, both of Raleigh, NC.
Survivors include his wife, Elaine; one daughter, Sharon Eckenrode and her husband, John, and their four children: Leigh Ann, Scott, Louise, and Mark; two stepdaughters Barbara Young Gill and Jane Slate and her husband, Garland; three stepsons – Bruce Hudson and his wife, Margaret Ann; Donald Hudson and his wife, Carol; and Rodney Hudson; eleven step-grandchildren: Jerry Myers, Barbara DeMartinis, and Timothy Gill; Ashley, Abigail and Austin Slate, Amy McLamb, Allen, Michael and Steven Hudson, and Leslie Hudson, and ten step-great grand children.
Lloyd and his brother, Francis, were drafted into the Army April 25, 1941. He did his basic training with the 29th Infantry Division at Ft. Meade, MD. In early 1942, he transferred to the Army Air Corps (Air Force) and was assigned to the Cadet Training Center in San Antonio, TX. Eventually he became a supply sergeant and remained there for 2-1/2 years. In the spring of 1945, he was transferred to Aerial Gunnery School in Las Vegas, NV, and graduated with Aerial Gunner’s Wings in July. World War II began winding down after VE and VJ days, and many with enough service points began to be discharged. Lloyd’s number came up November 21, 1945 after 4 years and 8 months in the armed forces.
After working briefly for an auto parts store in Washington, DC, Lloyd joined his brothers at North Washington Press, which was purchased by his brother, Robert, in 1948. He was the office manager for 30+ years and during this time provided many free printing services to his local church, the Mid-Atlantic Conference, Falcon Children’s Home, and Emmanuel College. During his time in Washington, Lloyd worshiped at the National Pentecostal Holiness Church where he served as deacon, Sunday school superintendent and teacher. He also served on the Board of Trustees at Emmanuel College and as a member of the Publications Committee of the IPHC.
A number of members of the National Church were Maryland residents. With encouragement from Conference leaders, they organized the College Park PH Church, now known as Maranatha Fellowship, and continued his membership there until his death. He also served in the new church as elder, deacon and Sunday school teacher. In 1986, Lloyd returned to his hometown of Falcon after his marriage to Ruby Elaine Hudson.
Services for Brother Lloyd were held in the Culbreth Memorial Church in Falcon with Bishop Wesley H. Russ (Mid-Atlantic Conference and former pastor of Maranatha Fellowship) officiating, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Danny Nelson, Former Pastor in Falcon and Director of Evangelism and World Missions of the North Carolina Conference. Garland Slate gave some reflections on Lloyd’s life and involvement with his family and church in North Carolina. The Rev. Mr. Wiley Clark and Mr. Gary Wages provided musical selections.
Elaine’s address is P.O. Box 71, Falcon, NC 28342. The family has requested that any memorial gifts be sent to Culbreth Memorial Church, Falcon, NC 28342.
[Editor's note: I met Lloyd Robinson in 1954 when I connected with the National Pentecostal Holiness Church. He was an outgoing man who never met a stranger. He made me feel welcome as a young Marine stationed at Quantico, VA.
That was a critical time in my life and the people of the National Pentecostal Holiness Church helped to ground me in my Pentecostal faith through their love and acceptance. It was there that I met Robert and Hazel Robinson and their adult children. Janice Robinson Russ, Lloyd's niece, has remained a friend of mine since those days and now Melvine's friend since we married 50 years ago. Her husband, Wesley Russ, now a bishop, is one of my best friends in the known world. I looked forward to attending the church in DC, singing in the choir, and being a student in Sunday school. I had no car in the 50s while I was in the Marine Corps, and hitched hiked to DC to attend our church. i thank God for every memory I have of Lloyd Robinson. May God bless the memory of this great Christian layman, a disciple of Jesus Christ and a friend to servicemen and women.]
Posted on
Thu, May 27, 2010
by Hugh Morgan