Gayle “Robbie” Robinson passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, April 23, at Fieldcrest Care Center in Hayfield. He now resides with God in Glory after a 10-year battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at East St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Rock Dell, Minn .(rural Byron) with Rev. Darby Lawrence officiating.

Gayle Edward Robinson was born June 24, 1938, in Bertha, Minn,. to Edward and Luetta (Stork) Robinson. He moved with his family as a child to rural Blooming Prairie, where he grew up on the farm, attended rural school and graduated from Blooming Prairie H.S. in 1956. He was married Oct. 24, 1964, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester to Celia Sue Keethler. The couple raised their family on a farm near Stewartville, and spent the last several years at their home in rural Kasson, Minn. Gayle retired from IBM after 36 years, and Celia Sue was employed as a physical therapist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester until her retirement in 2001. Gayle was a devout member of East St. Olaf Lutheran Church. He was a consumate story and joke teller and friend to all he met. He loved and was loved by many and took great pleasure in driving trucks and attending monthly gatherings with old friends of the Southern Minnesota BS Club.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory, his wife of 46 years, Celia Sue; children, Rebecca (Albert “Red”) Nold, Heather Robinson (Michael Hopper), Laural (Jeremy) Bauer, Randall (Leah “Kitsie”), Ross (Barb); grandchildren, Shawnna, Casey, Alex, Nickolai, Landon, Katelyn, Joshua, Aleya, Kale and Trace; siblings, Rodney (Maria) Robinson of Kasson, and Judy (Wayne) Rentschler of Louisville, Ky. He also leaves behind a host of cousins and friends too numerous to count.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He will be missed and mourned by many.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville and one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday afternoon. A private family burial will take place at East St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville.