Helen Robbins of Montague, who, along with her husband Hugh, was an inaugural member of the PEI Curling Hall of Fame, passed away Wednesday at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague. Helen was also a recipient of the Order of Prince Edward Island.
Photo: Hugh and Helen Robbins at Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Nov. 2007
Here is the citation from their induction ceremony into the PEI Curling Hall of Fame in November 2007:
Helen Robbins and Hugh Robbins
Two names that have been synonymous with the game of curling are Helen and Hugh Robbins. The Robbins joined the old Montague Curling Club in 1964. Hugh was Vice – President of the Club the last few years of its existence, and was on the Building Committee for the new Club and the Project Manager for its construction when it was built in 1978. He was Vice – President in 1980-1981… then President in 1981-1982, and was on the Board for the next several years as Bar Manager, Chair of Maintenance, and Chair of Games at different times.
Helen held Executive positions on the new club, including President in 1983 – 84, and has helped organize and supervise the Junior Development Program at the Club. She has represented the Club at the Provincial Ladies Association for many years…. was on the Committee which wrote the Constitution and Bylaws for the proposed amalgamation of the PEI Curling Association and the PEI Ladies Curling Association. She became Vice – President for three years from 1988 to 1991… then President of the new Association in 1991 – 92, and Past President in 1992 – 93. Helen served as the Provincial Representative to the meetings of the Canadian Curling Association from 1989 to 1992. In 1997, she was honoured to be a member of the Canada – USA Senior Women’s Friendship Tour to Wisconsin and Illinois. Helen Robbins reached her Level One Coaching Certificate and Level 3 officiating……. coaching and/or chaperoning many Junior Teams at Provincial competitions, and officiating at countless club, provincial and national events, including Canada Winter Games, National Mixed, and Scott Tournament of Hearts. She was also Chair, or on the Committee for the Fashion Show from 1992 to 2006…. and both she and Hugh have sponsored a Junior Competition at the Montague Curling Club for the past 20 years. For her untiring work with curling and many other facets of her community, Helen received the highest honour bestowed by this Province, on October 3rd, 2007.. the Order of Prince Edward Island.
Hugh Robbins represented the Montague Club at the Provincial Level…. he was Vice – President of the PEI Curling Association in 1981 – 82… President in 1982 – 83, and Past President in 1983 – 1984….. receiving the PEI Curling Association Recognition Award. Both Hugh and Helen were given Life Memberships to the PEI Curling Association in 2007…. Helen had earlier received a Life Membership to the Montague Curling Club in 1993, and a National Coaching Award and a Scott Recognition Award in that same year.
Hugh became a Level 3 official, like Helen… officiating at Provincial and National events, including the Canada Winter Games, National Mixed and Scott Tournament of Hearts.
For many, many years, this husband and wife team were the mainstay of their club during Bonspiels…. arriving early… helping to officiate and assisting in many other ways…. and staying to clean up!
Helen and Hugh Robbins, most worthy recipients of the Honour that is their’s tonight as they are inducted, as Builders, into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame and Museum on this 15th day of November 2007.
Here is the Funeral announcement:
Helen Margaret Robbins (1929-2009)
With grace and dignity, as she had lived, Helen Robbins (nee Behm) passed away at the Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
She leaves to mourn her devoted husband and best friend, Hugh Robbins, Montague; children, Anne (Harvey) MacEwen, Summerside; Terry (Doris), Bedford, N.S.; Donnie (Yolanda), Belfast; Leslie (Kathy), Kilmuir; Joyce (Mike) Cavanagh, Kemptville, Ont.; and Phillip (Faye), Charlottetown.
Loving grandmother to 18 and “Grammie Great” to three. She will be greatly missed by her siblings, Thelma MacLeod, Orwell; Wynn (Maggie) Behm, Rosedale, B.C.; and Sheila (Brian) Kerr, Bayside, N.B.
Predeceased by her much loved parents, Harold and Sally Behm and her brother, Teryl at 14 months.
Resting at Ferguson’s Montague Funeral Home until Saturday, then to St. Andrew’s United Church, Vernon, for funeral service at 10:30 a.m.
Interment in the church cemetery. Visitation Friday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m.
If so desired, memorials to Kings County Memorial Hospital, St. Andrew’s United Memorial Fund or the Junior Curling Program, Montague, would be appreciated.