Powell Robinson Jr.

Powell Robinson, Jr. of Marshfield, MA, passed away peacefully on April 8th, 2024 just as the moon had finished its eclipse of the sun. He was 98 years old.

Powell was born on July 7,1925 in Glens Falls, NY to Ruth and Powell Robinson, Sr.. He was the eldest of two siblings, Katherine Robinson McCabe and Charles Robinson. Powell grew up in Morristown, NJ and then later attended boarding schools in New England and one in

Arizona which is where he met his future wife. She was in a girls boarding school nearby and was 14 years old when he first met her. His youth was shortened by the arrival of World War II and at age 18 he volunteered for the air force and became a Ball Turret Gunner flying on B24’s. In November of 1944, during what would have been his final mission before heading stateside, his plane was shot down and he and the crew had to parachute out, landing behind enemy lines in what was then Yugoslavia. He was stuck in this territory for over 6 weeks, endured unthinkable living conditions and witnessed the horrors of war which he and his generation rarely discuss or revisit.  Eventually he and his crew as well as 12 other air crews were rescued and returned to their base in Bari Italy. His family learned more about his war experience from the book “Lost Airmen” (2022) which details the survival stories of Powell and other bomber crews during World War II.

Powell returned back to the states in the spring of 1945 and was stationed in Texas for the remaining months of the war. The following year he married his sweetheart, Margaret Louise Hewitt, affectionately known as Peggy. He was only 21 and she was just 20.  He completed college on the GI Bill graduating from Boston University and then went on to a successful career at the Shawmut Bank where he rose to be Vice President of lending operations. He moved his young and growing family to Wellesley, Mass. and they spent their summers in the Duxbury/Marshfield area enjoying life on the “Hill” with a large and growing extended family.

Unfortunately Powell fell victim to the polio epidemic in the early 1950’s and was told that he would never walk again. He persevered and fought to successfully get back on his feet. Powell was a fighter and lived by the mantra of “never give up and always persist”. He had the quote from Calvin Coolidge framed and prominently displayed, “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence… The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” He lived by these words and shared them with those he loved.

Powell believed in giving back to the community and after his long career at the bank, he held many volunteer positions largely in the area of finance. He helped many organizations thrive and others right themselves. He was on the board of the Duxbury Yacht Club acting as treasurer. He was also the treasurer and on the board of Plymouth Plantation, helping them navigate some challenging and turbulent times. He helped lead Duxbury Bay Maritime School during its formative years when the business model was being created and the initial campus buildings were being built. During this time, he established financial systems and controls which were fundamentally important to allowing DBMS to grow and thrive. He was a longtime trustee at Crossroads for Kids and spent decades on the board of Dexter school. He demonstrated how to be engaged with many philanthropic organizations and left a lasting positive impact on all of them.

Above all else, Powell Robinson, Jr. was a gentleman who loved order and form. He always dressed impeccably from his starched white collared shirt, polished shoes to his signature bow tie.  He loved classical music and beautiful gardens. He loved tinkering in his workshop and writing letters to family and receiving them in turn. He loved the beautiful view of Duxbury Bay and sailing on those blue waters. He loved his network of friends and most especially his family.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Margaret Hewitt Robinson, and his sons Dwight Parker Robinson and Colby Hewitt Robinson. He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Robinson and her husband Richard Nestle of Wayland MA, his son Powell Robinson III and his wife Sarah Robinson of South Salem, NY and his three grandchildren Lily Parker Robinson, Powell Robinson IV and Charlotte Lloyd Robinson.

A life celebration of Powell Robinson, Jr.  will be held at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School on Duxbury Bay, May 4 from 1pm to 4pm.

Contributions in his memory can be made to:

Duxbury Bay Maritime School

457 Washington Street

Duxbury, MA  02332

Crossroads

119 Myrtle Street

Duxbury, MA  02332

Plimoth Patuxet Museums

137 Warren Avenue

Plymouth. MA  02360

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