Dwight Rienzi Robinson, 88, of Sherborn, MA, passed away peacefully at home on June 2, 2020, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Dwight was born on September 7, 1931 to Katherine (Babbitt) and Reginald Robinson in Morristown, NJ, and grew up in Mendham, NJ. He graduated from Morristown High School in 1949, and went on to study at Cornell University (1953) and Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons (1957). He had a long and distinguished career in rheumatology and internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He also spent two years engaged in postdoctoral studies in biochemistry at Brandeis University which enabled him to maintain a laboratory at MGH. He published many articles for medical journals, and edited a comprehensive textbook on gout that was published in 2013. Dwight was a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. He worked tirelessly in patient care, teaching and research until his retirement in 2015.
In 1954, he married his college sweetheart, Margaret (Peg) Blackburn. Dwight and Margaret would have celebrated their 66th anniversary this June. Their beautiful union produced four children – Laurie Robinson, Dwight Robinson (Nancy Young), Heidi Seitz (Bradley) and Holly Robinson (Jon Kaiden); 14 grandchildren – Jonathan Noel (Sasha Sagan), Nathanael Robinson (Samira Kazemi), Sarah Haynes (Keith), Amanda Angevine (Seth), David Robinson (Catherine Staley), Michael Robinson, Brian Seitz (Kirsten Beaudry), Elizabeth Bradbury (Michael), Rebekah Robinson, Luke Seitz, Katherine Robinson, Margaret Seitz, Allie Kaiden, Leo Kaiden; and four great-grandchildren – Isabella Haynes, Ayrton Haynes, Helena Noel, and Silas Angevine. Dwight is also survived by his four younger siblings – Anne Curran (Roger, dec.), Lisa Green (Robert), Jane White (Daniel, dec.) and John Robinson (Sandra); and many nieces and nephews. He delighted in his family and was endlessly supportive and proud of us all.
Dwight was a true Renaissance man. Music was a part of his soul. He played the piano and pipe organ, and enjoyed attending concerts. Dancing was a high-energy sport for Dwight and Peg, which started in the disco era when they ditched a conference meeting to crash an Arizona State University fraternity party! Dwight loved the outdoors and spent many hours gardening, hiking, playing tennis, windsurfing, and skiing. He even made a short-lived attempt at skim-boarding! He raised a menagerie of farm animals over the years including goats, chickens, and two ill-fated roosters. Sadly, he never succeeded in convincing Margaret that a pair of Clydesdale horses should be added to the mix. Sherbornites will remember the annual 4th of July parade when Dwight appeared in his farmer clothes driving his cherished 1943 John Deere tractor and pulling along a float carrying excited family members and even chickens, plus an assortment of antique farm equipment. His efforts were rewarded with many flashy trophies.
Dwight/Dad/Papa/Pop was our dearly beloved patriarch. He brought much love, wisdom, humor and humility to his relationships with his family, patients, friends and church. He leaves a lasting legacy and will be forever missed.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Pilgrim Church (P.O. Box 322, Sherborn, MA 01770 or www.pilgrimsherborn.org) or to Dr. Stephen Gomperts’ Alzheimer’s Research Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital (125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114). A memorial service will be planned for a future date pending precautions for Covid19.
