Barbara was born to the late Jennie Adele (George) Manchester and Ward Beecher Manchester II. She graduated from Batavia High School in 1939 and from Russell Sage College of Women in 1943. While attending Russell Sage College, she was a Civil Air Patrol pilot by the age of 19. She completed her Commercial Pilot's License in February 1942 with 200 hours of flight time. Her goal was to train male pilots for the war effort.
She joined the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) in August 1943 after receiving an offer from Director of Woman‘s Flight Training for the United States Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran. Barbara graduated from WASP training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, Class 44-1, and was assigned to the Army Air Force Weather Wing, flying a Twin Beech to 33 weather stations each month. Barbara was honorably discharged on Dec. 20, 1944, after flying about 1,000 hours. While serving in the armed forces, she received an American Campaign Medal and a World War II Victory Medal. She later received a Congressional Gold Medal for her service during World War II.
She married William Robinson in the summer of 1945, and helped him graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, joining him on various USAF assignments until his retirement in 1969. "I'll Be Seeing You" was their song when they fell in love.
She was involved in many organizations: as a member of the St. Barnabas Church choir for 37 years, the Altar Guild for 32 years chairing it twice, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Heirloom Quilters Guild, the AEDC Women's Club, the Republican National Committee, and as a board member of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center. She sang in the Tullahoma Civic Choir and a women's barber shop group, "The Barbersharps." As an artist, she depicted the beauty she saw in the world via many mediums. She painted portraits and landscapes in oils and acrylics. She sewed, embroidered, cross stitched, knitted, crocheted, worked needlepoint, and quilted for which she received numerous awards. She created in lapidary, silver, stained-glass, and ceramics. Also, she enjoyed camping and bird watching as well.
Donations may be made in her name to the St. Barnabas Building Fund, P.O. Box 446, Tullahoma, TN 37388 and the Women's Air Force Service Pilots Museum at Avenger Field, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Ward Beecher Manchester III and John Alan Manchester. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Major William C. Robinson, USAF Ret.; her five children, William Stephen Robinson (Sharon), Alan Ward Robinson (Sharon), Donna Robinson Sanders, Thomas Edward Robinson (Tracy), and Judith Robinson King; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She joined the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) in August 1943 after receiving an offer from Director of Woman‘s Flight Training for the United States Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran. Barbara graduated from WASP training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, Class 44-1, and was assigned to the Army Air Force Weather Wing, flying a Twin Beech to 33 weather stations each month. Barbara was honorably discharged on Dec. 20, 1944, after flying about 1,000 hours. While serving in the armed forces, she received an American Campaign Medal and a World War II Victory Medal. She later received a Congressional Gold Medal for her service during World War II.
She married William Robinson in the summer of 1945, and helped him graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, joining him on various USAF assignments until his retirement in 1969. "I'll Be Seeing You" was their song when they fell in love.
She was involved in many organizations: as a member of the St. Barnabas Church choir for 37 years, the Altar Guild for 32 years chairing it twice, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Heirloom Quilters Guild, the AEDC Women's Club, the Republican National Committee, and as a board member of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center. She sang in the Tullahoma Civic Choir and a women's barber shop group, "The Barbersharps." As an artist, she depicted the beauty she saw in the world via many mediums. She painted portraits and landscapes in oils and acrylics. She sewed, embroidered, cross stitched, knitted, crocheted, worked needlepoint, and quilted for which she received numerous awards. She created in lapidary, silver, stained-glass, and ceramics. Also, she enjoyed camping and bird watching as well.
Donations may be made in her name to the St. Barnabas Building Fund, P.O. Box 446, Tullahoma, TN 37388 and the Women's Air Force Service Pilots Museum at Avenger Field, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Ward Beecher Manchester III and John Alan Manchester. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Major William C. Robinson, USAF Ret.; her five children, William Stephen Robinson (Sharon), Alan Ward Robinson (Sharon), Donna Robinson Sanders, Thomas Edward Robinson (Tracy), and Judith Robinson King; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Barbara was born to the late Jennie Adele (George) Manchester and Ward Beecher Manchester II. She graduated from Batavia High School in 1939 and from Russell Sage College of Women in 1943. While attending Russell Sage College, she was a Civil Air Patrol pilot by the age of 19. She completed her Commercial Pilot's License in February 1942 with 200 hours of flight time. Her goal was to train male pilots for the war effort.
She joined the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) in August 1943 after receiving an offer from Director of Woman‘s Flight Training for the United States Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran. Barbara graduated from WASP training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, Class 44-1, and was assigned to the Army Air Force Weather Wing, flying a Twin Beech to 33 weather stations each month. Barbara was honorably discharged on Dec. 20, 1944, after flying about 1,000 hours. While serving in the armed forces, she received an American Campaign Medal and a World War II Victory Medal. She later received a Congressional Gold Medal for her service during World War II.
She married William Robinson in the summer of 1945, and helped him graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, joining him on various USAF assignments until his retirement in 1969. "I'll Be Seeing You" was their song when they fell in love.
She was involved in many organizations: as a member of the St. Barnabas Church choir for 37 years, the Altar Guild for 32 years chairing it twice, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Heirloom Quilters Guild, the AEDC Women's Club, the Republican National Committee, and as a board member of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center. She sang in the Tullahoma Civic Choir and a women's barber shop group, "The Barbersharps." As an artist, she depicted the beauty she saw in the world via many mediums. She painted portraits and landscapes in oils and acrylics. She sewed, embroidered, cross stitched, knitted, crocheted, worked needlepoint, and quilted for which she received numerous awards. She created in lapidary, silver, stained-glass, and ceramics. Also, she enjoyed camping and bird watching as well.
Donations may be made in her name to the St. Barnabas Building Fund, P.O. Box 446, Tullahoma, TN 37388 and the Women's Air Force Service Pilots Museum at Avenger Field, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Ward Beecher Manchester III and John Alan Manchester. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Major William C. Robinson, USAF Ret.; her five children, William Stephen Robinson (Sharon), Alan Ward Robinson (Sharon), Donna Robinson Sanders, Thomas Edward Robinson (Tracy), and Judith Robinson King; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She joined the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) in August 1943 after receiving an offer from Director of Woman‘s Flight Training for the United States Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran. Barbara graduated from WASP training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, Class 44-1, and was assigned to the Army Air Force Weather Wing, flying a Twin Beech to 33 weather stations each month. Barbara was honorably discharged on Dec. 20, 1944, after flying about 1,000 hours. While serving in the armed forces, she received an American Campaign Medal and a World War II Victory Medal. She later received a Congressional Gold Medal for her service during World War II.
She married William Robinson in the summer of 1945, and helped him graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, joining him on various USAF assignments until his retirement in 1969. "I'll Be Seeing You" was their song when they fell in love.
She was involved in many organizations: as a member of the St. Barnabas Church choir for 37 years, the Altar Guild for 32 years chairing it twice, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Heirloom Quilters Guild, the AEDC Women's Club, the Republican National Committee, and as a board member of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center. She sang in the Tullahoma Civic Choir and a women's barber shop group, "The Barbersharps." As an artist, she depicted the beauty she saw in the world via many mediums. She painted portraits and landscapes in oils and acrylics. She sewed, embroidered, cross stitched, knitted, crocheted, worked needlepoint, and quilted for which she received numerous awards. She created in lapidary, silver, stained-glass, and ceramics. Also, she enjoyed camping and bird watching as well.
Donations may be made in her name to the St. Barnabas Building Fund, P.O. Box 446, Tullahoma, TN 37388 and the Women's Air Force Service Pilots Museum at Avenger Field, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwater, TX 79556.
She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Ward Beecher Manchester III and John Alan Manchester. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Major William C. Robinson, USAF Ret.; her five children, William Stephen Robinson (Sharon), Alan Ward Robinson (Sharon), Donna Robinson Sanders, Thomas Edward Robinson (Tracy), and Judith Robinson King; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
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