Charles Turek “Chip” Robinson
Charles Turek “Chip” Robinson, 55, passed away Saturday, October 14, 2017. He was born in Providence and was a resident of Rehoboth, MA for 45 years. He was the son of Bea Turek Robinson and the late Dr. Mendell Robinson, who was an otolaryngologist at Miriam Hospital.
Chip attended the Gordon School, Moses Brown School, Beckwith Middle School (Rehoboth), and graduated with Honors from Providence Country Day School, where he received an award in History from Brown University. He attended both Columbia and Tufts Universities and was a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Providence College. He received a post-graduate degree in anthropology and archaeology in the A.L.M. Program at Harvard University.
Two pieces of his work (“Lenio and the Sea” and “To One Who Became A Poet”) from his award-winning poetry collection were published in The Alembic, which is published annually by Providence College.
He was the author of Asleep Beneath the Meadows: The Indian Archaeology of Rehoboth, Massachusetts; True New England Mysteries, Ghosts, Crimes, and Oddities; Native New England – The Long Journey; The Turn-of-the-Century Rehoboth Memoirs of Anna (Hass) Morgan; and The New England Ghost Files, which was a New England Best Seller. This book delighted people of all generations with over 50 accounts of local hauntings. One of Chip’s favorite tales was Ghost File #7 “The Red-Headed Phantom of Route 44.” Located near the Rehoboth/Seekonk line, this haunting was witnessed by more than five people. All of these books were illustrated by his mother, Bea Turek Robinson. Chip also co-authored Rehoboth, Swansea, and Dighton for the Images of America series by Arcadia Publishing.
Chip had columns in the Yankee Magazine and the Rehoboth Reporter and published stories in the Providence Journal.
He was a rare coin collector, dealer, and historian and had a vast collection of artifacts.
He had a brilliant mind, was a talented artist, could play piano by ear/memory, and also played trumpet. He was compassionate, always helping the underdog.
Chip loved all types of animals from his fish and turtles to his cats and ferrets.
He raised Todd the Turtle from an egg that was incubated and hatched in his home. Felix the Ferret was one of many ferrets that Chip owned. Felix was leashed-trained, extremely mischievous and went on numerous adventures with Chip to parks, woodland trails and homes of friends.
Besides his mother, Chip is survived by his sister Anna Robinson; uncle Stephen and his wife (Judy) Turek; aunt Lila Winograd; cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Providence College - The Alembic, 1 Cunningham Square Providence, RI 02918.
