Ella Robinson

Funeral Services will be conducted Monday, February 21, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the Solomonville Ward LDS Chapel with viewing one hour prior to services. Interment will follow in the Thatcher Cemetery. Ella Mae Hancock Robinson, 80, passed away Thursday, February 17, 2011, at the home of her daughter Pattys, in Mapleton, UT. Ella Mae was born April 23, 1930, in Safford, Arizona to Cleora and John William Westfall Hancock. She graduated from Safford High School in 1948, where she was selected by the teachers to receive the Daughters of the American Revolution award, lettered in drama, was a recipient of a National Honor Society pin, was a majorette, served as President of the Girls League, and was one of four speakers at her high school graduation. She married her eternal sweetheart, Melvin Rey Robinson, on May 5, 1951 in the Mesa Arizona Temple soon after his return from serving an LDS mission in Mexico. Together they have lived in many different places including Aberdeen, MA, Tempe and Tucson, AZ, Memphis, TN, Burbank, San Diego, Mission Viejo, and Santa Ana, CA. Throughout their travels, they have made many lasting friendships. While living in Tucson, and after having her 7th child, Ella Mae returned to school and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Elementary Education. Upon Mels retirement, they returned to the Gila Valley to take care of her mother. Upon her passing, they served missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to Caracas, Venezuela, Tucson, Arizona, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where Melvin passed away after 47 years of marriage. Throughout her life, Ella Mae has had the opportunity to serve in many organizations of the church including Sunday School, Relief Society, Primary, and Seminary. Her greatest calling and joy, however, was being a wife, and a mother of 7 beautiful children, one son and six daughters. Ella Mae will be greatly missed by her family and friends, but we will rejoice at the happy reunion she will have with her beloved husband, Mel. She will be remembered for her caring concern for others, her joy of giving in service, her enthusiasm for life, her knowledge, her great speaking abilities, her faithfulness, and her great love for family, friends, and church. She had a way of making everyone feel special and loved. Ella Mae is survived by their seven children, Melvin Rey Robinson Jr. (Janice) of Utah, daughters, Louise Edwards (Dave) of Utah, Rebecca Robinson (Carl) of Oregon, Joan Fraughton of Colorado, Susan Lockhart (Clint) of CA, Kathy Mendenhall (John) of CA, and Patty Rennie (Scott) of Utah. She is also survived by one brother, Max (Angeline) of AZ, 20 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren with 2 on the way.