James Harry Robison

In Memory of James Harry Robison  - James (Jim)Harry Robison, age 92, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Brian Center, Weaverville.

Jim was born on June 19, 1929, in Chicago IL to Ceril Edward and Grace Adele Matthews Robison.

Jim is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Barbara Ellen Giroux Robison. He married his high school sweetheart on Feb. 12, 1949, in Chicago, IL. Together they had four sons and one daughter.

Jim was preceded in death by his oldest son, David Joseph Robison in 2014.

He is survived by four remaining children; Stephen Howard Robison of Weaverville NC; Richard James and Dorothy Robison of Sudbury, MA; Timothy Edward Robison and Lesley Theall of Wellfleet MA; Julie Ellen Robison of Weaverville, NC; and his daughter in law, Deborah Robison of Weaverville, NC. He is survived by 11 grandchildren; Mark Robison, Seattle, WA; Jennifer Robison, San Francisco, CA; Matthew Robison, Weaverville, NC; Elise Robison, Chicago, IL; Christina Robison and Dav Gagner, Fairlee, VT; Amy and Jason Robison, Sudbury, MA; Sybilla Robison and Gina Manzella, San Diego, CA; Tim Clark, Marietta, GA; Jessica and Arturo Santoyo, Weaverville, NC; and Daniel Clark, Youngsville, NC. He is also survived by ten great-grandchildren; Caitlin and Tyler Robison, Seattle, WA; Hannah, Jai, and Colin Gagner, Fairlee, VT; Arturo (AJ) and Victoria Santoyo, Weaverville, NC; Cameron, Iris and Jayce Clark Youngsville, NC.

Jim came to Weaverville in January of 1977 from Chicago, IL, when he became the Owner/President of Communication Service Inc, in Asheville. He remained in Weaverville for the past 45 years.

Jim served in the US Army Air Corp from 1946 to early 1950, including having served with Post WWII occupation forces in Okinawa, Japan. Jim & Barb were high school sweethearts and got married in 1949 after he returned from Okinawa. The couple then returned to Chicago and took a temporary job with Motorola that lasted 27 years. Jim rose in the ranks and became Operations Manager of the Communication Division - Replacement Parts Department. He left corporate life to acquire Communication Service Inc., a two-way radio communications business in Asheville, NC. Communication Service, Inc. was the field element of the Parts and Service Department that he had formerly been associated with. In 1994, Jim’s oldest son Dave joined the Company as President, and Jim began the gradual process of retiring and retired completely in 2000.

Jim was involved with several civic non-profit organizations for most of the time he lived and worked in the Asheville area. Jim participated in Leadership Asheville 1, and he was on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement. For nearly 25 years, he served on the Board of Trustees for Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital and its successor, Care Partners, where he served as Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary at different times and the Care Partners Foundation.  He remained involved with the Care Partners Foundation through his later years. He was also very active on the Reems Creek Homeowners Association Board.

Jim was an avid model airplane fan and loved to build and fly model aircraft. He was active in the Asheville-Buncombe Aeromodellers model airplane club and served as their treasurer for many years.

Services will be private with arrangements being handled by West Funeral Home of Weaverville.

For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Robison’s obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.