Avah Emily Robinson

Avah Emily (Bailey) Robinson passed away at Lakes Regional Healthcare, Spirit Lake, Iowa, about 5:30 PM on Friday, October 29, after suffering injuries in an automobile accident that afternoon. She was 98 years old, her 99th birthday being less than a month away on November 25th, Thanksgiving Day. We give thanks to God for her wonderful, long life, love, support and companionship these many years. She was born, the youngest of four children, at home on her family's farm near Royal, Iowa on November 25, 1911, to Thomas Wells and Allie (Dull) Bailey. Her parents were known to everyone as Allie and Wellie. Her grandfather, William Bailey, had homesteaded the land about 1870 and her father took over when he retired. Her family has a long history in America with John Bailey and his son William (an earlier William) being the first of the family to arrive in North America at Salisbury, Massachusetts, in 1635, only 28 years after the founding of Jamestown, Virginia. Avah graduated from Royal High School and attended Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Iowa, before receiving her teaching certificate from Iowa State Teachers College (University of Northern Iowa), Cedar Falls. She taught in a one room country school near her home in Royal. She went to Whittier, California, with her two sisters with dreams of being an actress. But she worked there in a dime store until her brother, Harold, died at the age of 32. At that time she returned to help her father at home. She studied at McPhail School of Music in Minneapolis and held a job locally before returning to Royal. She enjoyed dancing at all the local ballrooms and met her husband, Ernie Robinson at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park. They married in 1938 and he promptly bought her a piano. They lived for many years on their farm two miles east of Milford where they raised their family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Robinson of Milford and Spirit Lake, her parents, Allie and Wellie Bailey of Royal and Spencer, by her brother, Harold of Royal, and sister-in-law, Amber Bailey of Bakersfield, California, by sisters, Mona of Spencer, Melba of Spencer and Spirit Lake and by companion Ray Heetland of Spirit Lake. She is survived by her son, Max Robinson and Cheryl, Bloomington, Minnesota, daughter Diane Netsch and son-in-law Paul Netsch of Spirit Lake, grandchildren Steven Netsch and Mark Netsch, both of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Lisa (Netsch) Conklin (Rev. Chris Conklin), Mount Ayr, Iowa, Robin (Robinson) Colerin (Leslie), Richfield, Minnesota, Angela Robinson (Jim Kurkowski), Roseville, Minnesota, by great grandchildren Shaniece, Logan and Lauren Conklin, Bailey and Sidney Colerin, Samantha and Cory Kurkowski and by niece Jacqueline ( Bailey) Wolford of Bakersfield, California. Avah was known throughout the Iowa Great Lakes area for her musical talents playing ragtime jazz piano for many years in night clubs, the excursion boat Empress, private parties, weddings, church and other events. Most recently she had performed during Sunday brunches at Crescent Beach Resort and at retirement homes. She gave piano lessons to many local people from the time she was in high school until the 1980s. She organized the Junior Choir at Union Memorial Church in Milford and conducted it for 15 years. She produced two CDs of her piano music with her grandson, Steven Netsch, was recognized on area television for her musical achievements and maintained her talents through her final days. Her music and service will be missed throughout the area. We thank God for her.