James “Jim” Davis Robins, of Mystic, died peacefully at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London, CT on Sunday, September 25, surrounded by his family. He was 92 years old.
Jim was born in Morristown, NJ on January 4, 1930 to Helen Wood Davis Robins and James Hamilton Robins, a mechanical engineer. He attended Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, then went on to Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1948, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and was called to active duty in 1950, serving his country in the Korean War from 1951 to 1952 with the 5th Marines (Baker Company), a division which fought valiantly in some of the war’s most desperate battles. He was promoted in the field and completed his combat tour of duty as a second Lieutenant.
Upon returning home he enrolled in Yale College, graduating with the class of 1954.
In his sales career he represented Yale and Towne Manufacturing and served as vice president of Abbott Coin Counter Company. He was owner and president of Amplate Corporation, a light manufacturing company in Riverside, Connecticut doing innovative work at that time using photosensitive aluminum.
Jim was an avid sailor who learned to sail at the age of six in Edgartown, MA. He especially loved racing, and proudly served as fleet captain of the Riverside Yacht Club. He was a member of the Cruising Club of America, a collection of passionate, seriously accomplished, ocean sailors making adventurous use of the seas. He sailed his Ericson-35 sloop with crewmember friends for many years in races throughout the Northeastern U.S. He also crewed on others’ boats in Newport Bermuda races. He passed his love of racing onto his children, involving them in Thursday night “Vespers” in Long Island Sound and off-season “frostbiting” events. In June, 1989 he and a crew of lifelong sailing friends crossed the North Atlantic from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Cork, Ireland.
In addition to sailing, Jim was devoted to old houses and old friendships. He loved Stonington where he lived since 1983 on “Hinkley Hill” with his wife, Ann, in a Colonial era house he lovingly restored. He delighted in hosting cocktail parties as well as family gatherings in their historic home. He was a gifted woodworker and took great pride in maintaining the sturdy, mid-18th century house.
He is survived by his wife, Ann, of Mystic; sisters Barbara Byron of Stockton, NJ and Louise Lord of Bozeman, Montana; son, Philip Robins and his wife Lili of Fredericksburg, VA; daughters, Sarah Williams of Charleston, South Carolina and Kate Robins and her husband Tom Verde of Pawcatuck, CT. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, six stepchildren, and eleven step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, James, and his first wife Virginia Monroe.
A celebration of Jim’s life will take place on Saturday, October 15 from 4-6pm at the Wadawanuck Club, 196 Water Street, Stonington, CT, where he was a long-time member and board member. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to New England Science and Sailing Foundation (NESS) in Stonington, nessf.org/donate.
