John Allen Robbins
October 19th, 1940 - April 8th, 2026
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John's Obituary
John Allen Robbins, 85, of Benton Harbor passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville. He was born October 19, 1940 in St. Joseph, MI to Robert and Ella (Randall) Robbins.
The family will receive guests from 6-8pm, Thursday, April 16, 2026 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Visiting time will continue from 10am until time of celebration of life service at 11am, Friday, April 17, 2026 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 613 Court St., St Joseph. Burial with military rites to follow at Penn-Yan Cemetery, Benton Harbor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Michiana Two-Cylinder Club, PO Box 72, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, Penn-Yan Cemetery Association, 7315 Territorial Rd., Watervliet, MI 49098, or Trinity Lutheran Church, 619 Main St., St. Joseph, MI.
John was a nearly life-long Michigander with short stays in El Paso, Texas, and Beal Air Force Base in California while in the Air Force. After his honorable discharge in 1967, he and Marilyn permanently moved back to Southwestern Michigan. The Air Force had trained him in electronics, and he put that to great use at Heathkit where he wrote the electronic assembly manuals for many, many years. He advanced to VP of Engineering for Carl Heald Inc., where he was instrumental in off-road utility vehicle development. Eventually, he returned to his electronic roots at Bibco where he was the Director of Manufacturing. There, they produced custom wire harnesses until his retirement in 2003.
Those professional opportunities allowed him to pursue his passion for vintage mechanical things, while at the same time raising three wonderful boys with Marilyn. John was an avid collector of hit-and-miss engines, old green tractors, and classic cars. His home shop was often a hive of activity on his projects, his boys’ projects, and those projects for other friends and neighbors. You never really knew what, or who, you would see on any given night out in his shop. After his retirement, he and Marilyn were often away on multiweek-long journeys in their 1930 Ford Model A Tudor. Together, they traveled to more than 40 states in that old car!
John was a member of the Grape Country Model A’s, the Rod Knockers Club, the Michiana Two-Cylinder Club, a founding member of the Southwestern Michigan Car Collectors, Lest We Forget, and in his teens, the Roadrunners car club.
At the viewing this Thursday, rain or shine, we would love everyone to bring their special cars, or tractors, or bring whatever neat thing that likely connected you to John. We know it would make him smile to know that he was responsible for making you blow the cobwebs off your ride a little early this year, so that you can have fun with it the rest of the summer.
John will be missed dearly by his wife of 62 years, Marilyn (Greening) Robbins, whom he married on November 9, 1963 in St. Joseph; his sons, Brian (Patricia) Robbins, Ken (Buffi) Robbins, and Brent (Jennifer) Robbins; his grandchildren,
Cameron, Tyler, Madison, Kyle, and Riley Robbins; and his brothers, James (Martha) Robbins, and Rob (Ruth) Robbins.
He is preceded in death by his sister, Judy Shannon; and his parents Robert and Ella (Randall) Robbins.
The family will receive guests from 6-8pm, Thursday, April 16, 2026 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Visiting time will continue from 10am until time of celebration of life service at 11am, Friday, April 17, 2026 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 613 Court St., St Joseph. Burial with military rites to follow at Penn-Yan Cemetery, Benton Harbor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Michiana Two-Cylinder Club, PO Box 72, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, Penn-Yan Cemetery Association, 7315 Territorial Rd., Watervliet, MI 49098, or Trinity Lutheran Church, 619 Main St., St. Joseph, MI.
John was a nearly life-long Michigander with short stays in El Paso, Texas, and Beal Air Force Base in California while in the Air Force. After his honorable discharge in 1967, he and Marilyn permanently moved back to Southwestern Michigan. The Air Force had trained him in electronics, and he put that to great use at Heathkit where he wrote the electronic assembly manuals for many, many years. He advanced to VP of Engineering for Carl Heald Inc., where he was instrumental in off-road utility vehicle development. Eventually, he returned to his electronic roots at Bibco where he was the Director of Manufacturing. There, they produced custom wire harnesses until his retirement in 2003.
Those professional opportunities allowed him to pursue his passion for vintage mechanical things, while at the same time raising three wonderful boys with Marilyn. John was an avid collector of hit-and-miss engines, old green tractors, and classic cars. His home shop was often a hive of activity on his projects, his boys’ projects, and those projects for other friends and neighbors. You never really knew what, or who, you would see on any given night out in his shop. After his retirement, he and Marilyn were often away on multiweek-long journeys in their 1930 Ford Model A Tudor. Together, they traveled to more than 40 states in that old car!
John was a member of the Grape Country Model A’s, the Rod Knockers Club, the Michiana Two-Cylinder Club, a founding member of the Southwestern Michigan Car Collectors, Lest We Forget, and in his teens, the Roadrunners car club.
At the viewing this Thursday, rain or shine, we would love everyone to bring their special cars, or tractors, or bring whatever neat thing that likely connected you to John. We know it would make him smile to know that he was responsible for making you blow the cobwebs off your ride a little early this year, so that you can have fun with it the rest of the summer.
John will be missed dearly by his wife of 62 years, Marilyn (Greening) Robbins, whom he married on November 9, 1963 in St. Joseph; his sons, Brian (Patricia) Robbins, Ken (Buffi) Robbins, and Brent (Jennifer) Robbins; his grandchildren,
Cameron, Tyler, Madison, Kyle, and Riley Robbins; and his brothers, James (Martha) Robbins, and Rob (Ruth) Robbins.
He is preceded in death by his sister, Judy Shannon; and his parents Robert and Ella (Randall) Robbins.
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