In Memory . . . Rev. William J. Robbins (1913-2007)

It is with a sense of loss that that the Ministry and Professional Leadership Staff Group informs you of the death of the Reverend Dr. William Joseph Robbins. Dr. Robbins died Sunday, April 6, 2007 at the age of 93.

Dr. Robbins was born August 31, 1913 in Somerville, Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College in 1935, a Bachelor of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in 1938. In 1947 he earned a doctorate from Brown University. 

He was ordained in 1938 at the Grace Baptist Church in Somerville, Massachusetts, by the Boston East Baptist Association where he served as Associate Pastor until 1940. 

On May 4, 1958, Dr. Robbins was received in Unitarian Universalist Fellowship after a year’s licentiate. He served the First Universalist Church in Rockland, Maine from 1956 to 1961. In 1961 he was called to the First Universalist (Central Unitarian) Church in Yarmouth, Maine where he served for one year. In 1965 he returned to the Rockland congregation serving there until his retirement in 1978. On October 1, 1978 was named Minister Emeritus by the Rockland congregation.

Dr. Robbins was predeceased by his siblings and three wives; Nadine Ratcliffe Robbins in 1977, Gladys Blum Robbins in 1982, and Mabel Briggs Robbins in 1999. 

He is survived by one stepson, H. Reed McKenney and his wife Deborah of Owls Head; one stepdaughter, Karen Ratcliffe of Bangor; seven grandchildren, Darlene McKenney of Owls Head, Amanda Toris and her husband Sean of Forked River, N.J., Rachel Coleman and her husband Mathew of Owls Head, Peter Burke of Bangor, Hannah Burke of Windham, Patrick Burke of Rockland, and Katie Burke Butler and her husband Charles of Appleton; one great-grandson, Eathen Butler; and several nieces and nephews. 

A graveside service will be held Saturday, May 26, 2007, 1:00 p.m., at Glen Cove Cemetery on Warrenton Avenue in Glen Cove, Maine.

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