Mary "Caroline" Robinson

Sibley, IA        Mary “Caroline” Robinson age 87 of Sibley, IA died Sunday, April 09, 2017 at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley.        Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 14th at the United Methodist Church in Sibley, IA, with Reverend Steve Swenson officiating.        Burial will follow in the Holman Township Cemetery in Sibley.        Visitation will be Thursday, April 13th from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. with the family present from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley.        Mary Caroline Robinson was born January 4, 1930 in Grant, Iowa to Stella and Clarence Hart. With a father as a teacher during the Depression, the family moved frequently to different communities throughout Iowa. One of the communities was Ocheyedan. Her sister, Leslie, and brothers, Jim and Cullen, were her closest friends. Eventually the family ended up in Centerville when Caroline was in high school. Robert “Robby” Robinson was a teaching colleague of her father's. Caroline attended junior college in Centerville and married Robby on June 11, 1950 in Centerville.      Caroline and Robby moved to Sibley in 1952 where they raised their two daughters, Cynthia and Sue. Caroline began working in the elementary library which led to her completing a degree in library science from Morningside College in 1974. Caroline loved her job as director of the Franklin Elementary Media Center which she held for more than twenty-five years until her retirement. She also loved being in charge of the gifted education program at Franklin.      Education was very important to Caroline. She saw it as important to an individual's overall development, not just as means to a career. The educational successes of her daughters, nieces and nephews, and grandsons were very important to her. She enjoyed visiting the school her grandsons attended on the Blackfeet Reservation.      Caroline's family and friends were the center of her life. She was a 50 year member of PEO and valued these friendships. After her retirement she enjoyed visiting her siblings in Michigan, Arizona, and Wyoming and her daughters in Washington and Montana. When Caroline could no longer travel, it was a matter of pride for her to stay in her own home as long as possible. This was made possible by the thoughtful care of Osceola Community Health Services. Her caregivers became extended family to her. Caroline loved a routine. An important part of her routine in her later years was tea time with her dear friend, Lois Fleming, on Fridays. She spoke to her friend Gloria Meyers almost daily and had pancake breakfast with her on Saturday mornings. Caroline was greatly anticipating meeting her great-grandson, Ethan, but sadly passed away the day she was to meet him.        Surviving Caroline are her brothers James Hart and Cullen Hart, her daughters Cynthia Pope and Sue Coleman, her grandsons, Robert Coleman (wife, Vera) and Thomas Coleman, and her great-grandson, Ethan Coleman.        Preceding her in death were her husband, Robert Robinson, and her sister, Leslie Mohr.