Obituary of Clifton Lindsey Robinson

Clifton Lindsey Robinson passed away on Sunday October 20th, 2024, at 94 after a short illness and a long and truly blessed life.  

Clifton was born on September 29, 1930 and lived most of his youth on his family's farms in and around the Little River area of Orange County.  He may have physically left the farm when he grew up, but he never left it in his heart. He spent many wonderful hours growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables in his backyard and loved it when his grandkids would join him in the garden. He would spend full days wandering through the woods at the “old homeplace” hunting or fishing, and up until a few years ago, could still drive a tractor with the best of them.   

As a young man Clifton enlisted in the US Army and was stationed in Germany. When he returned home he married Mary Alice Lloyd on September 16th, 1955. They were married for almost 65 years. After their marriage he joined the Hillsborough United Methodist Church and was active in church choir and the baseball league. He enjoyed the men’s gatherings at church where they would cook breakfast. In later years, after his wife’s passing, he re-joined his childhood church, New Sharon United Methodist Church, and spent his remaining years among old friends. 

Never one to turn down a delicious meal, Clifton enjoyed trips to the mountains to dine at Shatley Springs, was dedicated to his weekly trips to Bojangles where he loved to sit with friends, drink coffee, and crack jokes, and he was, according to his family, the best biscuit maker in the world--a skill he learned from his mother and tried to pass along, with varying degrees of success, to his children. 

Music was an important aspect of Clifton’s life, whether it was singing, learning to strum a guitar, listening to Eddy Arnold or Elvis Presley in the car, supporting his family's musical and theatrical endeavors, or enjoying the music and dancing at the Schley Grange Hall on Thursday evenings. He found great comfort and joy in music.  

Born to Ernest Clifton Robinson and Allie Mae Dunnagan Robinson, Clifton was predeceased by his parents Ernest and Allie Mae, his wife Mary Alice, and his siblings J.W. and Jack.  

Left to forever cherish his memory are his children, Cliff (Debbie) Robinson, Carolyn (Ron) Allen and Mary Lisa (Raymond) Woodward, eight beloved grandchildren (Holly, Sarah, Maih, Meredith, Chad, Mackenzie, Michaela and Tyler) and nine wonderful great-grandchildren who made his later years such a joy (Mason, Bently, Carter, Eli, Aiden, Mady, Liam, Emerson, and Charlie). He is survived by his sister, Betty Watkins and many special nieces and nephews. 

Walkers’s Funeral Home in Hillsborough is assisting the family with funeral services. A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 24th from 5pm to 7pm at Walker’s Funeral Home in Hillsborough. A graveside service will be held at the Hillsborough Town Cemetary on Friday, October 25th at 2pm.