Lola Robinson

Lola Quinafae Grissom Robinson was born July 11, 1934 in Steele, Missouri to Charles Daniel and Cordelia Funderburk Grissom. She passed to her heavenly home February 9, 2021 after a battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  Lola was the youngest of 11 children, including nine boys and two girls.  Lola’s father passed away when she was 11 years old, and she was raised by her mother and older brother Troy.  Having lost her father at a young age, Lola prayed that her mother would be blessed with a long life.  Mrs. Grissom lived to be 101 years old, and her children lived a combined 113 years from 1907 until 2021.

At the age of 16, Lola’s family sent her to Southwestern Bible College in Oklahoma, and while there she met the love of her life, Isaac Wesley Robinson.   They married on May 25, 1952 and were blessed with almost 40 years together until Wesley’s death in 1992 following a long battle with Leukemia. Lola remained a committed spouse and business partner to Wesley, following him across Oklahoma and Texas as he pursued numerous entrepreneurial interests.  She never knew in what business they would find themselves, but she worked closely with him in all of them.  In addition to helping Wesley in their businesses, Lola was a wonderful homemaker and cook.  She was especially known for her pecan pies, meatloaf, and cornbread dressing  which had all been handed down to her from Wesley’s mother.   Lola also learned to play the piano at a young age and had continued playing some gospel songs until the last year.

Wesley and Lola were blessed with a son, Wesley Ray Robinson in May 1953, and 11 years later their daughter, Sheila Faye Robinson, was born.  They were very proud of their children, and they raised them in a Christian home and taught them the value of family and a strong work ethic.  Ray and Sheila also had the opportunity to work closely with their parents in numerous family businesses through the years.  Lola eventually sold the family farm and moved in with Sheila’s family for several months.  Ray came weekly and stayed at the home in order to visit and spend time with Mom, and she so enjoyed their daily errands and going out to lunch.  During that period, much time was spent with Mom sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing about so many of the funny adventures the family had been involved in when Wesley was still living.  Ray and Sheila also took Lola on two trips to see her family in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  Her oldest grandson, Carson, also got to accompany them on one of the trips.  We will forever cherish the memories from those trips and the final days with Mom when she could still converse and enjoy our time together.

Lola was also very proud of her four grandchildren and loved sharing about their accomplishments.  She was so happy that her granddaughters, Kristen and Katlin, had  chosen to attend Baylor University.  She was also very pleased that Kristen had pursued a career as a Physician Assistant at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Wesley had spent so much time in his final years.  Although Wesley and Lola had hoped that Ray might be able to study law one day, his deep involvement in the family business never allowed this to come to fruition.  However, Ray’s daughter, Katlin, is a District Attorney with the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office, which would have made her grandparents so proud.  Lola’s grandsons, Carson and Cade, were blessed to have spent their early childhood living on the family farm next to their MeMe.  They will forever remember their frequent trips to Burger King, fishing in the tank by MeMe’s house, riding bikes to the barn, helping MeMe weigh grain trucks while eating turkey sandwiches and Twix bars, and playing with all of her toy trucks and tractors.

Lola was preceded in death by her parents, her 10 siblings, and her husband Wesley.

She is survived by her son Wesley Ray Robinson, daughter-in-law Vicky Robinson, daughter Sheila Robinson Bell, son-in-law David Bell,  granddaughters Kristen Ashlee Robinson and Katlin Alissa Robinson, and grandsons Carson Wesley Bell and Cade Clements Bell.  She is also survived by very special sisters-in-law Mary Ann Loomis (Larry), Grace Shipley, Sharon Hazleton, and Ezella Grissom.  Special brothers-in-law include Dr. Wayne Robinson (Joyce) and Dewey Shipley.  Lola is also survived by special friend, Sue Rigdon, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and other family members.  Grissom family nieces and nephews include Larry Wayne Grissom, Dennis Grissom, Linda Maclin, Phyllis Daves, Marcella Vinson, Joseph Grissom, Amanda Burns, Jeanette Kellem, Joyce Richmond, Ronnie McFadden, Jerry McFadden, Margie Waller, and Shirley Overbey.   Robinson family nieces and nephews include Pam Beaver, Brett Robinson, Laura Gadberry, Carol Pate, Marla Cavett, Patricia Holland, Mark Holland, David Shipley, and Debbie Jones.  The family would like to say a special thanks to Mark Roberts, PA-C and all of the wonderful 3rd floor caregivers at St. Catherine’s Center who loved and cared for Lola during her final years.  Also, a very special thanks to Vance Dunnam, Sr. who was a longtime, dear friend to Wesley and Lola and provided many years of legal service to the family.