Obituary of Fred T. Robinette

Bermuda Run Mr. Fred Turner Robinette, Jr., 69, of Bermuda Run, and formerly of Boone, died peacefully on January 25, 2014, after a very courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Statesville, on August 12, 1944, to the late Fred Turner and Dorothy Gaither Robinette, Sr. Fred was a graduate of Statesville High School and Appalachian State University, where he earned BS, MA, and CAS degrees in Education. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. After spending four years as a teacher and administrator at elementary schools in Winston-Salem and Morganton, he returned to Appalachian State University to become the Director of Alumni Affairs. His career at Appalachian was a distinguished one. He founded the Yosef Club, the Ambassadors Program, the Annual Fund, the Alumni Travel Program, the local Alumni Chapters, and was the first constituency based fundraiser, serving the college of business. He led many successful fundraising campaigns across campus and retired as the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. Upon his retirement from ASU, Fred served as a fundraising and public relations consultant to several charity and non-profit organizations in northwest North Carolina and then later became the Senior Director of Alumni Development at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. In September 2013, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Medical Alumni Association of the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Fred was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church and a former member of Boone United Methodist Church. Always a proud member of the Appalachian family, Fred enjoyed serving the Boone community for many years. He was an avid golfer, a loyal supporter of Appalachian Football, and an especially devoted husband, father, and "Poppy" to his three grandchildren. Fred is survived by his wife of 45 years, Priscilla Swaim Robinette; two daughters, Emily Robinette Harpe and husband Slayton of Advance and Sally Robinette Anglin and husband Andrew of Winston-Salem; and three grandchildren: Kathryn and Meredith Harpe and Benjamin Anglin. Also surviving are his sister, Dottie Robinette Smith, and niece Mollie Smith of Statesville, and a brother-in-law, Joseph Swaim of Advance. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 2:00 PM at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem. The family will receive friends following the service in the church auditorium. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Fred T. and Priscilla S. Robinette Scholarship for Student Ambassadors, Appalachian State University, ASU Box 32014, Boone, NC 28608; the Fred T. Robinette Award Fund, Wake Forest Baptist School of Medicine, PO Box 571021, Winston-Salem, NC 27157; Centenary United Methodist Church, PO Box 658, Winston-Salem, NC 27102, or Hospice and Palliative Care of Davie County, 377 Hospice Steet, Suite 103, Mocksville, NC 27028. The Robinette family wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to his oncology team at the Wake Forest Baptist Health Comprehensive Cancer Center: Angela Alistar, MD, Amy Cameron, PA-C, and Amy Neal, RN as well as his Hospice nurse Lisa Ivester, RN, and his caregiver, Christian Churchill. Hayworth-Miller Kinderton Chapel is serving the Robinette family.