GRANTSVILLE — Harry Darwin Robeson passed away peacefully at home on Friday, May 12, 2023.
Darwin, or “Moose” as he was affectionately known, grew up on the family farm on Lower New Germany Road where he helped to raise turkeys.
He graduated from Northern High School in 1958, where he was a standout athlete in football and basketball and is currently enshrined in the Husky basketball hall of fame. He received his teaching degree from Frostburg State University and taught English and History in Leonardtown.
He married his late wife, Linda (Miller) in 1964, and soon moved back to Lower New Germany Road to work in the family egg business and at the local boy’s camp in Garrett County. Darwin drove a truck for a few years and loved to tell stories of his times on the road. Being entrepreneurial like his parents, he opened Grantsville Auto Supply and later opened a second store, Southern Auto Supply in Mtn. Lake Park. When they were ready for retirement, Darwin and Linda found an ideal place on the coast near Corpus Christi, Texas, where they made many good friends. Together they and the other “Winter Texans” spent their time playing cards, hanging by the pool and listening to Darwin’s favorite bluegrass band.
Darwin loved to talk about his travels and all things farm-related with his friends and neighbors. He was a supporter of Northern athletics, initiating the yearly fundraising dinner, the activity bus and the lights for the basketball courts at the Grantsville Park. Every summer, Darwin would load up his family and off they’d go anywhere and everywhere across the U.S. He could tell anyone the mileage from his house to any major city in the United States within a couple miles. He could speak knowingly with just about anyone about where they were from. He loved playing cards, pool and shuffleboard with his friends, telling mostly true stories, at the Reef, White Oak and the Elks. In his younger days, he enjoyed riding his motorcycle and snowmobiles. Until very recently, he enjoyed taking his four-wheeler around his farm or wherever he could find a trail. Darwin will be dearly missed by his family and anywhere good stories are being told.
Darwin was preceded in death by his parents, Harry E. and Helen (Broadwater) Robeson; his beloved wife, Linda (Miller) Robeson and beloved nephew, Aaron P. Zumpano.
He is survived by his daughter, Julie Tilton, her husband, Bob, and their two sons, Ian and Aaron, of Moon Township, Pa.; his son, Michael Robeson, his wife, Julie (Robinson) and their children, Carver and Phoebe of Frostburg; his sister, Patricia Zumpano and her son, Stephen Zumpano, his wife Alyssa (Colavita), and many nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received at Newman Funeral Homes, P.A., 179 Miller St., Grantsville, on Friday, May 26, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 27, at 11 a.m., in the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. Interment will be held in the Grantsville Cemetery. Pallbearers for Darwin are nephews, Stephen Zumpano, Roy Miller, Phillip Margroff, and grandsons, Ian Tilton, Aaron Tilton and Carver Robeson. Honorary pallbearers include Allan “Jum” George, Greg Lawson, Terry Garlitz and Denny Deigert.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in his honor to Northern Athletic Boosters, 86 Pride Parkway, Accident, MD 21520.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.newmanfuneralhomes.com.
The family would like to thank Darwin’s caregiving team, especially Nancy Garlitz and Cheryl Wilhelm, whose loving and good-humored care allowed him to continue to do all of the things he loved and remain living at home.
Add an entry as Anonymous Commenter
Report
Watch the guestbook.
(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.