More detail on this person: Harry Neil Robinson
of Sylacauga and Birmingham, AL, passed away on
April, 16, 2012, at age 71. He was preceded in
death by his mother, Mildred Christine Fuller; his
stepfather, W.E. Fuller; his father, George H.
Robinson; sister, Peggy Fitts; and brother, Bobby
Robinson. Surviving are his son, Taylor Robinson;
his daughter, Karen Hinch; granddaughters, Taylor
and Savannah Hinch; grandsons, Luke, Jacob, and
Nathan Robinson; his sisters, Sara Jo Roberts, and
Nan Fowler and her husband, David Fowler, all of
Birmingham; his brother, Don Robinson and wife
Brenda; as well as four nieces, four nephews, one
great niece, one great great niece, and one great
nephew. Harry attended Sylacauga High School
where he played bass drum. He joined the Army
National Guard in 1955 where he was a cook for his
unit and became well known for his cobblers.
During one cold and wet field trip he saw a
helicopter land with a well rested and clean pilot
get out and he decided that was better than being
a cook in a tank unit. In 1962 he was
commissioned a Warrant Officer then completed
helicopter flight school. Harry spent 45 years in
the National Guard and retired as a Chief Warrant
Officer W-5. His early flying career included the
oil fields off shore of Louisiana and as a flight
instructor at Fort Rucker teaching helicopter
pilots in the mid to late 1960's. In the Guard he
flew a wide variety of aircraft from the small
OH-6 Loach up to the large CH-54 Sky Crane
accumulating several thousand flight hours. Along
with flying Guard helicopters he trained the
Jefferson County Sherriff's Department pilots, was
Chief Pilot flying Carraway Methodist Hospital
Lifesaver, and flew with HealthSouth. He loved to
teach others to fly and to share his love of
flight and his professionalism touched many people
in and out of the aviation community. He was a
member of the First Baptist Church and the
"Redneck" Sunday school class. Visitation will be
Thursday, April 19th 10:00 - 11:00 A.M. at Curtis
& Sons North Chapel. The service will follow at
11:00A.M. in the Chapel. Reverend Keith Pugh of
Tuscaloosa will conduct the service and music by
Charles Foster. The pallbearer and honorary
pallbearers will be the Army National Guardsmen
who served with him. Members of the "Redneck"
Sunday School Class will also serve as
pallbearers. The family will accept flowers or
donations to the Alzheimer Foundation.
Published in The Birmingham News from April 17 to
April 18, 2012
Burial information: Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Sylacauga, AL
This information was last updated 04/24/2020
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