Howard Gale Robinson, 81, passed away on Sunday, August 15, 2021, with his loving wife, Ruby, by his side.

Born on May 19, 1940, in Lepanto, AR, he was the oldest child of the late Warden and Lorene (Davis) Robinson.

Howard moved to Michigan with his Uncle Edward in 1957 to look for work as a fruit picker. The rest of the family moved to Michigan a few weeks later and made their home in South Haven.

Howard graduated from Covert High School in 1958. He gave football a try during his senior year, but the first time he got tackled, he quit and found his true passions of playing the guitar, riding motorcycles and dirt bikes, working on cars, and becoming a business owner. Following in his father's footsteps, he became the owner of a Texaco Station in South Haven. He later sold that and opened E & H Auto which he owned and operated with a longtime friend and then with his son, Bruce, until his retirement in 2005.

In April 2005, Howard set out to walk the Appalachian Trail with his four grandsons; Sam, Alex, Chris, and Judah. After the boys returned home, Howard pushed on alone enduring rain, heat, bugs, fatigue, and sore muscles but completed the 2174.9-mile hike, including climbing Mt. Katahdin, located in Maine, in October 2005 at the young age of 65.

He enjoyed spending time with each of his seven grandchildren. He took the time to take each one on a special motorcycle trip to places such as New York, Sturgis, North Carolina and Arkansas. He and his wife also spent many weekends during the school year, multiple weeks during the summer and every New Years' Eve with the grandkids creating wonderful memories that they won't soon forget.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Peggy Lois Smothers.

Along with his wife, Ruby, he is survived by his sons, Mark (Kathy) Robinson of Pensacola, FL, Bruce (Janine) Robinson of Hull, Ga, and Timothy (Rorik) Grassel of Watervliet, MI; his daughter Laurel (Richard) Maynard of Allegan, MI; Grandkids Sam (Heather) Robinson, Heather (Tom) Wheat, Alex (Mandy) Robinson, Julia Robinson, Chris Maynard, Zanita Robinson, and Judah Robinson; Great Grandkids Abigail, Korbin, Allison, Colten, Alden, Alanna, Micah, and Easton; his brothers Stan (Jean) Robinson and Jerry (Faye) Robinson.