Afton Robinson's 90th

AFTON RING CHRISTENSEN ROBINSON

Afton Ring Christensen was born September 25, 1916 at her parents home in Central, Idaho. She was the oldest daughter, second child of John Erastus and Helga (whom her husband called Connie) Ring Christensen. Her older brother Lyman was 13 months old at the time. She eventually had two sisters and three other brothers making a total of seven children. During her childhood years she lived there in Central, then they moved to Banida, ID, then Provo, then Ogden, UT, then back to Central for high school. She went at least two years high school right there in Central. The last two years of high school she lived the school year with two different families during the school year since there were no buses and it was too far to walk in the winter. She did graduate from Grace High School in 1934. She met Frederick Roland Robinson at a dance in Grace. They were married January 6, 1937. They moved a two room house down in front of the location of their present home from Central. Dad built onto the house adding the kitchen and bedroom and a room for the indoor bathroom and back utility porch. But they lived in just the two rooms until after Gene was born. Gene was born in the “bedroom” which is now the living room where the piano and TV now are. After that he built a basement behind the house and then he and others moved the whole house over the basement. Mom states it was done in February and it didn’t storm and it was a miracle they were able to move the whole thing without it breaking in two. Mom said that when they finally got their indoor bathroom, the very first night all four boys were so excited that they took a bath all four of them together. (Imagine how big it must have looked after using a galvanized tub for baths.) Karl was 10, Gene 8, Stan 4 and Paul a year old at that time. Their first baby was born, September 30, the same year they were married. The only baby to come early. He was what is called a “honeymoon baby”. His name was Karl Frederick Robinson. Gene Roland Robinson was born June 13, 1939. Their third son Stanley John Robinson was born June 11, 1943. Their fourth son Paul was their first baby to have been born in a hospital. He was born July 7, 1946. Their only daughter Jewel was born January 24, 1950. Then their two “cabooses” as they called them, Kent Joseph Lee Robinson and Fred David Robinson were born May 2, 1955 and November 24, 1956 respectively. Mom was a stay-at-home mom. She stayed at home out helping in the fields. She always had a large garden that Dad made sure was plowed and ready for planting but then she planted it and weeded it and harvested and canned the harvest herself with the help of some of her sons. During the years she worked in all of the auxiliaries of the Church. She was Relief Society Secretary for five years, Stake Primary Secretary for nine years. (I first met her the first of April 1962 when she was in SLC for the General Primary meeting before General Conference. Karl and I went up from Provo where we were attending BYU to meet her.) She also worked as Sunday School Secretary and teacher as well as teaching in the YWMIA. I remember her going to the temple with Dad after he retired from farm work at least twice a week and they would do three sessions each time they went. I remember her telling me that at one time the Stake President when he shook her hand told her that she and Dad had done more temple work than any one else in the stake that year. She still goes at least once a week (except when it’s closed) and does three sessions each time. She has worked in the extraction center since 1980…for 26 years.. She is still a faithful Relief Society Visiting Teacher. . Many of us have received yarn doilies that she has crochet for us and everyone of her great-grand children have received a towel made by here. Her great-great grand daughter received one too. She has 35 grandchildren and 86 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

I was at first writing this to go into the Caribou Sun in honor of Grandma Robinson's 90th birthday. I read it to Paul and he tho't it sounded too much like an obiturary and was too long and asked if I could shorten it. So I shortened it to the following:

The children and as many grandchildren as can be there will meet in Logan at Golden Corral on September 23rd to celebrate Afton Ring Christensen Robinson’s 90th birthday. She was born in Central, Idaho on September 25, 1916 and spent most of her young life there. She married Frederick Roland Robinson on January 6, 1937 in the Salt Lake Temple. She had six sons, Karl (Renee) of Idaho Falls, ID; Gene (Dot) of Sandy, UT; Stan (Kathy)of Roy, UT; Paul (ElDene) of Soda Springs; ID, Kent of Salt Lake City, UT and Fred (Debbie) of Medford, OR; and one daughter, Jewel (Gary) of Ogden, UT. She has 35 grandchildren and 86 great grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

The funny thing about it was when Grandma saw it in the paper she mentioned to my husband..."it was kind of short wasn't it?" So he and I both told her why it was so short and I read the above to her and those who could hear or listen at the gathering last Saturday.

Karl and I left about 10:40 Saturday morning to drive to Karen's and Kent's in Blackfoot. They and Kylie and Shandel and Macie and we left about 11:20 to go to Logan to meet others at the Golden Corral there to help Mom celebrate her 90th birthday. It was Karl's brother, Paul's idea to have everyone sign a paper and parents to sign for those who were to young to sign for themselves. There were 85 or so names on that paper. That was quite a turnout. Out of seven children, six and their sweethearts were there. There were also numberous grandhcildren. She was so pleased that so many came to honor her. She said that she was very glad we did it that way instead of an open house. I told her that if we'd had an open house for her that she wouldn't have been able to visit with those who where there as much as she was able to there. Stan & Kathy and their children made a picture book of all of there children with a small write up about their families and presented it to her. Stan thanked me for the inspiration. He said that the letter I sent out was the inspriation for the idea for doing that. It was very nice. I wished I'd tho't of that for my own children. But I still could put together something like that for her and for my mother too. I saw many neices and nephews and their children whom I haven't seen for a long time. Three of our five children were there with nine of our 20 grandchildren and our great grand daughter too. It was good to see all of them also.

We got back to Blackfoot by 5:20pm and back to IF at 6:45. I was able to watch and listen to the women's conference on KBYU at 8:00. I figure I had the best of both worlds. I was so glad that I was able to hear their messages. And the music was beautiful. The second song that was sung was just beautiful. It was about the Savior's love and how we can be instruments in his hands in serving others. I had never heard it before but it really touched me. The general presidency of the Relief Society gave very good talks. Sister Hughes has the same maiden name as my mother's maiden name (Hurst) but they are not related. Mama said that her brother who lived in England for five years said that Hurst was as common over there as Smith is here. Anne C. Pingree my mother told me just a few months ago is her aunt's, my Grandma Hurst's sister's granddaughter. Cleo Clark was the sister's name. So we are related. A couple of times removed but still related. Our grandmothers were sisters. They all got emotional as they talked. Sister Pingree stated that they were called four years ago. They all gave such good and touching talks. My mother said that she wondered if they were so emotional because they were going to be released this coming weekend. That is certainly possible. Time will tell. And President Hinckley's talk was superb. He does such a good job all the time. His talks are all so personal and special. He makes me thankful to be a woman and a mother in Zion. He just has a way with words. He did look much more tired than I've seen him. He is 96 years old so I imagine with his age and reposibilities that he is tired. I was so thankful that I was able to listen to the conference; I feel that it will help me become a better person.