Captain James Joseph Robinson

Captain James Joseph Robinson of Manitowish Waters, WI took his final voyage on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. Jim will be deeply missed by family, friends and fellow mariners, who were lucky enough to love and be loved by him.

Jim was born in South Amboy, NJ on March 16, 1939 to Katherine Butscher Robinson and Vincent dePaul Robinson. The youngest of three sons, Jim and his family moved to the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in the early 1940s where he grew up on Prospect Park West. Jim and his brothers Ray and Vinny played stickball on 3rd Street, went sledding in the Sugar Bowl and Lookout Mountain in winter, and fished in the Big Lake in Prospect Park in summer. Jim and Ray also loved to take the seven-cent trolley to Coney Island where they played on the beaches and in the waves. It was here that Jim began his lifelong love of the sea.

Jim attended Saint Savior’s Elementary School and then Brooklyn Prep, where he was a star swimmer. After high school, Jim earned a 3rd Mate Coast Guard license and a commission in the U.S. Navy Reserve at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, the school that remained inextricably intertwined with his heart throughout his entire life.

After graduating from Kings Point in 1960, Jim began his career with Isthmian Lines in April, 1961. In 1967, Jim was named Chief Mate with Farrell Lines on The Australian Surf. In 1973 at the age of 34, Jim served for the first time as Captain/Master on a foreign voyage. Over the next 25 years, Jim made a total of 43 foreign voyages when he served as Captain on 11 Lykes Lines ships, with most of his time spent at the helm of the Shirley Lykes. In 1995, in recognition of his exceptional career, the Merchant Marine Academy honored Jim with the highly prestigious Silver Mariner Award for his 35 years of leadership and service.

Jim sailed to every continent on earth, except Antarctica. Jim was a terrific storyteller, and his five trips around the world – covering 1,252,373 nautical miles! – provided fantastic material for those listening, whether they were fellow crewmen, friends living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, or family members in the East. Some of his most memorable tales include having his appendix removed in Bombay, rescuing 13 men who abandoned their burning ship (for which he received the AOTOS Mariners Award) on Christmas of 1980, returning ammunition and equipment from the Viet Nam War and Operation Desert Storm, or sailing non-stop from Dammam, Saudi Arabia to Oakland, CA in less than 25 days (no refueling!). His career also provided him extended stays in places as varied as Rio de Janeiro during Carnival; Ilyichevsk, a port on the Black Sea in the former Soviet Union; and Shanghai.

For 12 years, Jim communicated regularly with a 4th grade class at the Evans Elementary School in Fond du Lac, WI as part of the “Adopt-A-Ship Program.” Fortunate students in Betty Coerber’s classroom would read letters and see videos that Jim sent while he travelled all the oceans of the world. Jim was officially commended by the Wisconsin Senate for his participation in this program in 2001.

As a testament to his generosity, Jim bought his parents a house in Bethlehem, PA so that they could be close to his brother Ray, sister-in-law Marie, and their family. For decades, each fall, Jim would drive out east where he would spend two months visiting Robinsons in Wellesley, MA and Bethlehem, PA. These annual visits were incredibly special for his brothers, sisters-in-law, and nine nieces and nephews who adored spending time with their Uncle Jim and hearing about his recent travels. These annual trips often coincided with Kings Point reunions where Jim loved reuniting  with great friends and spending time on the campus that was so integral to him.

Though he spent 35 years travelling to ports scattered throughout the world, Jim found his home far from the oceans in Manitowish Waters, where he fell in love with everything about the town: its natural beauty, the kind, welcoming people, and, most importantly, the sense of community. He loved being surrounded by the beauty of nature, no matter the season, soaking up peaceful moments observing Stone Lake from his living room window, fishing off his pontoon boat, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, cycling around town in the summer, and enjoying weekly dinners with friends at the many fine restaurants. Though he was far from his Robinson family out East, the people of Manitowish Waters truly became his extended family.

In his final days, when asked which place, of the thousands he had visited in his life, was his favorite, Jim replied without hesitation: “Manitowish Waters.”

Although he was a Brooklyn native, Jim poured his heart into Manitowish Waters where his dedication and commitment to the town rendered him an integral part of the fabric of the community. Jim involved himself in all facets of life in Manitowish Waters, including the Friends of the Frank B. Koller Memorial Library (over 15 years on the board with eight as president), the Snow Skeeters Snowmobile Club (board of directors), the Lions Club (member for 30 years), and Election Chief Inspector (15 years with four years as lead inspector). Throughout his life, Jim generously supported Camp Jorn, the Frank B. Koller Memorial Library, the Manitowish Waters Fire Company, the Howard Young Foundation, the Northwoods Forest History Experience, and the Manitowish Waters Historical Society.

Jim documented Manitowish Waters through videotaped interviews with longtime residents and extensive photography. His impressive 1998 collection captured the community as it appeared during Wisconsin’s Sesquicentennial, preserving its people, places and stories for future generations. In 2018, the Manitowish Waters Historical Society honored Jim as a Leader of Historical Preservation for his significant contributions to preserving the community’s history.

Jim was predeceased by his parents (Vincent and Katherine), his brother (Vincent) and sister-in-law (Marie).

Jim’s legacy lives on in his older brother Raymond and his wife Marie (Bethlehem, PA), nine nieces and nephews (Vinny, Brian, Jerry, Tim, Grace, Ray, Patti, Daniel and Jean), 19 grandnieces and nephews, and dear friends whom he considered family, especially Kelley and Frank DiLeonardi and Amy and Lee Stengele.

A celebration of life will be held in Manitowish Waters in the spring of 2027 (details forthcoming). The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Jim’s name to the Frank B. Koller Memorial Library or the Manitowish Waters Historical Society.

Jim Robinson will be remembered by all who loved him as a dear friend, a devoted brother and uncle, a true gentleman, a stalwart leader, a beloved member of his hometown, and a quintessential Kings Pointer.

Online condolences may be shared at nimsgernfuneral.com

NIMSGERN FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES IS SERVING THE FAMILY.