Joanne Dodge Robinson

On August 13, 1941 Allen Rickenbacher Dodge and Barbara Simpson Dodge of Salina, Kansas welcomed their second child to the growing family.

Joanne spent the next 18 years growing up with siblings Judy, Susie, and Clifton. She attended Salina public schools and graduated from Salina High in 1959. The numerous friends she developed remained friends with her to the present and she loved them dearly. 

Summers were filled with all the pleasures of a child growing up in a small Midwestern town in the 1950’s. She spent several summers at Camp Kamajii in Cass Lake, Minnesota.  First as a camper in the “Ishkaday” tribe and in her late teens as a camp counselor.  The memories she had of those summers were a source of great pleasure all her life.

After graduation she entered Kansas University and began her education.  During this time she met and married her first husband James Dell Barbour.  Both subsequently transferred and then graduated from Wichita State College.

With a degree in education in hand she began her first teaching job in Lawrence, Kansas.  Soon thereafter a job opportunity for Dell led them to a large cattle ranch in Winnemucca, Nevada.  When it became obvious that her first child was due soon she returned to her home in Salina.  On January 7, 1967 Judi Dell Barbour was born. 

Not long after that birth another move became necessary for Dell’s career and in 1968 they moved to Denver, Colorado.  In early January 1970 she prepared for the birth of her second child who arrived on the 21st of that month, James Dell Barbour II.

The family of four began building their lives in Denver and all seemed well when tragedy struck.  In September 1971 Dell lost his life in a motorcycle accident. Shortly thereafter Joanne began teaching K – 6 at Philips Elementary school in Denver to support herself and her children.

In November 1972 she met Gary Robinson and began a relationship that resulted in marriage on January 10, 1975.  Shortly after marriage she took a sabbatical and earned a Master of Education degree and then continued her career at Sabin Elementary. On April 29,1977 she brought her third child, Barbara Ann Robinson into the family.  Six months later they moved into their new home in Franktown, Colorado where they spent the next 27 years. 

These years included her operating successful small businesses, taking tap dance lessons in her early 40’s, joining a bowling league , many wonderful vacations, camping and fishing trips, and too many rounds of golf to count. The last few years in Franktown saw her welcoming the arrival of her precious grandchildren.

In 2000 Joanne began having difficulty breathing at high altitudes found in Colorado, was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis and had to begin using oxygen on a daily basis.  She soon tired of having to do that and a move to a lower altitude was a must.  In 2004 they sold the home in Franktown and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where their son had lived for several years.  Immediately she was able to free herself from the supplemental oxygen.  Life brightened.

Not one to rest when there were new people to meet she became a successful real estate agent with Century 21. There, as in all places she went she cultivated new friends daily.

The next few years were filled with many wonderful trips to Denver, Salina, and Nebraska, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington to spend time with many friends and family. As long as she remained below 3000 feet in altitude she could breathe without assistance.

All seemed well until early in 2012. Early Spring became quite traumatic for her when her Father passed away in March. In November her lung function began a decline that was hastened by repeated bouts with pneumonia. She did all that she could to beat what, in the end, was an unbeatable foe.

On Thursday morning, March 21, she called her husband and asked him to come to hospital as soon as he could as she was in great pain.  When he arrived her pain had subsided and she told her husband that if anything happened she wanted him to know she was at peace with everything.  After a brief visit she asked that he leave so she could nap, they kissed and, unknowingly, spoke their final words to each other, “I love you”. 

She passed peacefully away on Palm Sunday, March 24 at 10:23 A.M. surrounded by her loving family and friends.