Robin Koelmel

Robin was born in Clenchwarton, England on November 9, 1934 to Victor and Elsie Back, and departed this life peacefully in his sleep on September 24, 2020. At a young age, Robin’s father Victor passed suddenly and his loving mother Elsie was left, during difficult war time, with two small children, Ena (his older sister) and Robin.  Ena and Robin lived with their grandparents Henry and Margaret Walker while Elsie pursued work.

Robin had severe asthma as a child and survived serious illness and struggled to breathe.  With the loving care of his family he survived asthma, pneumonia, polio and the bombs of war that fell on his city. He along with Winston Churchill, received some the first treatments with Penicillin which saved both of their lives.

In 1945, his mother Elsie married Harold Koelmel who was serving with the US Airforce as a Staff Sargent stationed in England.  In December, 1945 Robin’s little sister Margaret was born.

Following the war, Elsie with her two youngest children boarded the ship, SS Île de France to America and then two trains to Nebraska.  Robin at age 11 and Margaret was six months old.  Initially their new life in America was as farmers in Franklin County, Nebraska until 1949.  They then began a new life working in restaurants in Ogallala, Wauneta and Crawford, Nebraska.  During Robin’s senior year in high school he became a US Citizen and Harold Koelmel legally adopted Robin and he was thereafter known as Robin V Koelmel.

His parents moved to Wauneta, Nebraska to open “The Plains Cafe”.  Robin stayed with his Aunt Ruth and Uncle Neil Peterson in Ogallala, Nebraska to finish high school.  He always had good grades and was the same intelligent, personable and fun guy that we all know and love.  Although, he was often ill with Asthma and would miss school.  He graduated as his class Salutatorian and received a Scholarship to University of Nebraska.   After graduating high school, Robin moved to Wauneta, Nebraska and worked at the Plains Cafe/Service Center where he worked at the gas station.  While he was living in Wauneta in 1953-54 is when he met Marilyn Merrill.  They had many mutual friends and would all hang out together when Robin was in Wauneta.

He attended two years of Junior College in McCook, Nebraska. Then in 1956, he joined the US Marine Corp.  When he was in the Service Marilyn and Robin wrote letter to each other.  When he came home on-leave he and Marilyn began dating and quickly became inseparable.  The Marine Corp. sent him to Electronics Technology School in Memphis, TN.  His parents, his sister Margaret and Marilyn drove there to visit him.  During this visit he took Marilyn out on a date and proposed marriage and gave her an engagement ring.  On December 25th 1956, Robin and Marilyn were married. They had their son, Gerry in 1957 and their daughter Nina in 1959.   He was discharged from the Marine Corp in 1959 when Nina was only 6 weeks old.  He and Marilyn moved to Denver, Colorado for his new job at Martin Marietta Aerospace as an Electronics Technician.

They purchased their first home and then in 1964 their son Derek was born.  Robin earned his way through the ranks and into management at Martin Marietta to serve as the Chief of Test Operations where he managed approximately 50 people.

Robin and Marilyn loved Colorado and enjoyed the outdoors.  They took their children hiking, fishing and camping.  Robin would take many trips with friends and relatives backpacking to remote rivers and lakes in Colorado and Wyoming. We all have fond memories of our family of a road trip from Colorado to Canada.  Every stop along the way of any trip, dad would start chatting with someone.  He loved to talk to people anywhere at anytime and we would spend lots of time listening and waiting for him to finish a conversation.  This talent for connecting with others in a passing moment stayed with him always.  He could get information out of a fence post.

Robin and Marilyn have 8 grandchildren.  His son Gerry married Peggy and they had three children, daughters Kristianna and Jordan and son Max. His daughter Nina married Frank and they had three children, daughters Shaina, Jennifer and son Riley.  Derek married Jessica and they have two children, son Tyler and daughter Emily.

Robin has 6 wonderful great-grandchildren.  Shaina has a son Jesse and his sister Paige and is married to Ian Maphet and they have a son, Liam.  Kristianna married Hamish Bala and have two children, daughter Arya and son Rowan.  Jennifer married Glenn Gese.  Riley is married to Shannon MacDonnell, they have a son, Michael.

Together in 1983, Robin and Marilyn purchased a remote cabin on Hahns Peak in Columbine, Colorado.  The cabin to this day is a special place with wonderful memories of time spent there with family and friends. They spent almost every vacation day, holiday or long weekend at the cabin.  Fishing, hunting, hiking, gardening, making raspberry jelly, riding trials bikes, forever fixing and mending the cabin and partying. Even fighting with the US Forrest Service and won after a 5 year-long battle over water rights. The US Forest Service had no idea about this man they were dealing with.   Remember that this cabin is a gift to all of us from both of them, to have adventures, and build friend and family memories, then and now, and for all the years to come. So, when you reach the cabin and step up on that porch, turn to Hahns Peak and yell, “Hello Mountain” just like your Papa did. And when you hear that “Woo Hoo”, make sure to answer back “Woo Hoo” to let everyone know where you are.

Robin and Marilyn retired from Martin Marietta on the same day in 1992 and, he started making wood crafts from the dead fallen aspen from around the cabin.  He developed a talent and skill using a scroll saw.  He made his own pieces and developed techniques to create the perfect hummingbird, elk, deer or anything you can imagine in the beautiful wood.  His small business was called, Robinwood.  He started taking his work to local craft fairs a few times a year.  He met his dear friend David Leydman at the neighborhood garage sale and “of course”, they got to talking about his crafts with the scroll saw. David was very interested in Robin’s wood working creations and voiced that he would love to learn to work with a scroll saw.  Dad invited him over and gave him lessons on the scroll saw and how to make the finished crafts.  David and Robin quickly became best friends and David picked up the skill quickly and made his own beautiful crafts which he sold at Craft Fairs.

Robin loved this time with people at the craft fairs.  Marilyn was there with him working at the register and helping with everything.  Each of the grand kids took turns going with them to the craft fairs and they taught them about sales and making change with customers.  Marilyn and Robin were the best of work partners and worked on every project together, at the cabin, at home, or finishing crafts for sale.

Robin is a devoted husband of Marilyn for 63 years.  Marilyn says: “He was loyal and kind and was always a gentleman”.  He is a brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.  He always expressed enthusiasm for life and had boundless energy.  His true kindness and his generosity is an excellent example for all of us.  He was, as Ian told me recently, “the best listener of anyone I have ever known” and truly helped so many people that came into his life.   Some of his children’s friends lived with them when they needed help.  He truly cared about people and would help out anyone who needed it.

He enjoyed his family to the fullest and passed on his passion for helping others, finding adventure, the outdoors and spending time with those he loved. He easily won the affection of children by truly listening and actively playing with them.  Like making them a treasure hunt in the mountains, building or making crafts, chopping wood, mending fences, and many memorable antics causing us fits of laughter leading to so many memorable stories around the campfire.

His children, grand-children and great-grandchildren were a true blessing to him and brought him great joy and happiness.   He never missed their games or performances.  He loved you and was so proud of each and every one of you.

So, thank you Dad for showing us how to love and how to live the best life possible by being enthusiastic, showing up and giving of ourselves for others.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in honor of Robin V. Koelmel to Wounded Warrior Project or Alzheimer's Disease Research.