Hugh Robinson ’39

After battling cancer for several years, Hugh died at home in Norfolk, Conn., Aug. 24, 2003.

After Princeton he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1942, and immediately enlisted in the infantry, moving from basic training to OCS, and was appointed a forward observer for the artillery of the 12th Armored Division. Hugh saw active combat in France and Germany, earning the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts before he was mustered out as a captain.

After brief stints as a New York lawyer and as an analyst for the CIA, Hugh took a job with Williams Brothers, a pipeline-construction company based in Tulsa, where he spent three years learning the intricacies of pipeline engineering and construction management. Based on this experience, he conceived, found funding for, and helped manage construction of the first LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) pipeline system in the US. MAPCO, as the company became known, grew rapidly, eventually joining the Fortune 500. Hugh returned to law in 1971, practicing in Canaan, Conn., for the next 17 years.

Hugh's wife, Tibby, predeceased him in 1998. His two sons, James and MacGregor '86, survive him, as do his two stepchildren and eight grandchildren, to all of whom we offer our sincere sympathy.

The Class of 1939