Archives West Finding Aid

Robert H. "Ty" Robinson was born on January 25, 1916 in the town of Columbia Falls, Montana. Robinson's nickname "Ty" originated from a man Robinson's father had played baseball with: Ty Cobb. Ty Robinson was raised in six different towns from a young age, including Kalispell and Whitefish. He graduated from Flathead County High School in 1933, where he played basketball. In 1935, Robinson entered the University of Montana as an undergraduate student. From 1937-1939, Robinson played on the University of Montana Men's Basketball team. In 1940, Robinson graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science.

After graduating from the University of Montana, Robinson worked for the Department of Justice, slowly working his way up the ranks. He entered the military in 1943, and served until 1946 as "commissioned on staff" and commander on the Service Force Pacific Fleet in the U.S. Navy. Upon completion of service in 1946, Robinson returned to the University of Montana, where he graduated with his Juris Doctor degree in 1948. After graduating in 1948, Robinson was admitted into practice in the same year, then entering the Missoula Mercantile work force as in-house counsel. Starting in 1950, Robinson taught in the University of Montana School of Business and Business Law for 11 years. In 1954, Robinson became a partner in the law firm, Garlington, Lohn, and Robinson, from which he retired in 1987 to become "of counsel." In 1971, Robinson was sworn in by the Montana Supreme Court to the Montana Constitutional Convention Commission.

Robinson was an active member of the Montana community, serving on boards and civic councils with a range of missions. Some of Robinson's contributions include serving as a past president of the Missoula Rotary Club, a member of the Missoula Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Community Medical Center Foundation, and a past president of the Western Montana Council of Boy Scouts. Robinson was active in civil affairs on the state, county, and city levels, where his focus was on education, health, and the environment.

Robinson married his wife, Jean E. Fritz, on November 23, 1939, and had two children, John and Laird. Ty Robinson died in Missoula March 27, 2018 at the age of 102.