Richard Robinson Obituary

Richard Grier Robinson, Jr. GREENVILLE, SC - Richard Grier Robinson, Jr., 77, of 925 Cleveland Street #237, died Wednesday, October 20, 2010. A native of Charleston, SC, he was a son of the late Richard Grier Robinson and Ethel Shepard Robinson. He was a 1951 graduate of Porter Military Academy in Charleston and graduated from Davidson College in 1955 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha, Sigma Delta Pi and Eumenean Literary Society (Honorary Societies) and a member of Pi Kappa Phi Social Fraternity. After graduation, he served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army. He served as Team Chief of the Third Army Inspection Team and played on the tennis team at Fort Jackson that won the third Army championship. In 1957, he received a Master's Degree from New York University School of Retailing. After working for Gimbels Department Store, he began with Belk in the NY buying office. He worked with Belk in several other locations including Charleston, Wilmington, Greenville and Easley. He held management positions in the Pickens and Greenville County stores. He served as a stockholder and member of the Board of Directors of Belk Robinson in Charleston, SC. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Greenville where he served as Deacon and Elder. He was a member of the Sanctuary Choir and served as a Sunday school teacher and President of the Men's Bible Class. While on the Session and Diaconate, he served on the Christian Education Committee, the Visitation Committee, the Finance Committee and the Christian Ministries Committee. He enjoyed the fellowship of being in the quartet sponsored by the Men's Bible Class that sang for nursing homes, churches and Sunday school classes. He received a service award from the National Foundation for the March of Dimes where he served as co-chairman of the Greenville County March of Dimes. He served as President of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Pickens County, as President of the Greenville Davidson Alumni Association, Vice President and on the Board of Directors of the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce, as a charter member and on the Board of Directors of the Kiwanis Club, and a former member of the Greenville Kiwanis Club. The South Carolina Textiles Association cited his store in Easley, SC as a crafted in pride merchandiser. He was a former member of the Greenville Country Club and the Carolina Yacht Club of Charleston. He served as a charter member and president of the Beaux Arts Dance Club of Greenville and was a member of the St. Andrews Society of Charleston. Surviving are his wife, Alice Stewart Robinson; daughter, Stewart R. Adams and husband, Scott; son, Richard Grier Robinson, III; grandchildren, Sydney Shepard Adams and Nolan Gray Adams all of Greenville; and brother, John Shepard Robinson of Linville, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church Music Ministry, 200 W. Washington Street, Greenville, SC 29601. The funeral service will be held Saturday, October 23, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church with visitation following in the church parlor. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.thomasmcafee.com. Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown. Visit our guestbook at www.postandcourier.com/ deaths