So far this year has been tough. I have lost two very dear friends and the latest was my close bro William Robinson who after a short bout of cancer died February 22. 2013. He is someone that I never thought would ever die, as silly as that sounds since he was so full of life. He once told me that “I’m a Baby Boomer – California Style. Baseball, football, basketball, beach kid, rock and roll and that was just the 50’s. The word ‘can’t just isn’t in my vocabulary”, and it surely wasn’t.
In the 70’s Santa Barbara City College had the finest dive school in the world and was unlike any other, in that, the College was State organised and offered an Associate of Science Degree in addition to a dive certificate. The curriculum wasn’t just dive related subjects, but included two years of Marine Biology, semesters of Oceanography, Electronics, Technical Report Writing, Physics, Drafting, 2 years of Welding, etc and SCUBA, surface diving, mixed gas, bell bounce and saturation diving.
Not knowing if he would like the new industry, he jumped in with both feet and has practiced the trade since 1979, so it’s safe to assume it was “agreeable”.
In 1994 William relocated in Aberdeen, Scotland, buying an 1865 granite church and remodeling it to his liking, keeping the original structure in tact, dividing up the space with only trees and plants. To this day it remains so.
We had planned some time ago to visit Bill, in Scotland. He invited my husband and I at least two years ago, but the trip just never quite became reality. So here I am now, in the wake of his death visiting his home city of Aberdeen and celebrating his life on Tuesday March 2nd. He is survived by three grown children and two grandchildren.
My most memorable time with William (he told me only I and the “penguins” nuns, ever called him that, but it was his proper name and I much preferred it. Anyway, we had met online on a motorcycle forum as I posted inquiries about riding in Europe. When I planned my Spain trip, he was ever so helpful with places to visit and see and tips about riding a motorcycle in a foreign country.
The following year, I posted an inquiry on pashnit forum regarding a trip north to Canada. William responded with quite possible the MOST detailed suggestions I have ever seen. My response to him was this, “Thanks for all your help, Bill. Now fly your arse on over here and join up!! How’s July sound?”
Well it must have sounded ok, as he came from Scotland and I had one of the “best ever” motorcycle tours in his company.
Well, all I can do now is reminisce the awesome times we had together and be glad that we had them. So, here I am in Scotland seeing the place you called home, Bill. I hope you know I’m here celebrating your amazing life. 😉
RIP Notarian William “Bill” Robinson. I swear to you…I’ll ride the entire Burr Trail this year in your honor!
One response to “Celebrating a life in Scotland…”
I just recently came across this article. I had been hearing rumors that ”Come back Bill” had died. That was his nickname from those of us that worked offshore with him. Those who told me that he had died were not certain. Now I know for sure. He was a good guy and lived life to the fullest. I dived with Bill in the early ’80’s and over the years would stop in from time to time at his ”church flat/house”. For some reason I never had his phone number. I just knew where he lived, Skeen Terrace, or the bar that he drank at. The Prince of Wales. He was at one of those two places when I came into Aberdeen every few years.
He was a few years older than me and graduated 2 years after me from Santa Barbara. He was a late starter in the diving industry. Back then one was to have started their career in diving by their mid 20’s.
Where ever he is now, I’m sure he is having fun telling stories of deep sea diving.
RIP Bill.
Paul Spark
Diving Supervisor