Mary Lynn Robbins, age 55 of Indianapolis, IN, formerly of Clinton, IA, passed away Wednesday March 23, 2016, after a battle with Amyloidosis, at her home in Indianapolis.
Mary was born on July 13, 1960, in Berwyn, IL, the daughter of Frank and Marguerite (Hoekstra) VanderMeulen. She graduated from Fulton High School in 1978. She attended Clinton Community College and Mt. St. Clair College in Clinton. She was commissioned as an officer in The Salvation Army with the rank of Lieutenant on June 10, 2012. She received her Seminary training at The Salvation Army’s College for Officers Training in Chicago, IL. She continued her education through the Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. She married Kevin Robbins on June 26, 1993, in Clinton. Mary worked for the Carlon Company in Clinton for over 20 years. She and her husband were Corps Officers for The Salvation Army in Muncie, IN, and Chaplains at the Harbor Light Center in Indianapolis.
Mary was a home based piano teacher, a music teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School, Bloomington, IL, accompanist for choirs at Central Catholic High School, Bloomington, Camanche, IA, Middle and High Schools, Unity Christian, Fulton, IL, organist for First Presbyterian Church, Grace Episcopal Church, St. Stephen’s Lutheran, Lutheran Church of the Atonement, Immanuel Lutheran of Camanche, and filled in at various Clinton area churches. She was pianist at The Salvation Army, church Secretary for First United Methodist Church of Clinton, Immanuel Lutheran of Camanche, para educator at Clinton High School and Washington Middle School, Corps Officer at Salvation Army Muncie Citadel (2012-2015.) It was important to Mary that each person feels dignity, no matter their station in life. She used to bring purses and jewelry to homeless women in Chicago. Her favorite quotation was, “It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
Mary is survived by her husband, Kevin of Indianapolis; four children, Aubrey (Shawn) DeBaar of Branson, MO, Celeste Robbins of Clinton, Noah Robbins of Muncie, and Marguerite Robbins at home in Indianapolis; a step-son, Christopher Robbins of Clinton; five grandchildren, Judah, Colin, Kyle, Jazlynn, and Mercedes; a sister, Ann (Dan) Ragon of Tennyson, WI; two brothers, Edward (Joyce) VanderMeulen of Morrison, IL, and David (Barb) VanderMeulen of Chicago.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Joan Carr.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Tuesday March 29, 2016, at the Pape Funeral Home, 2308 Pershing Boulevard, Clinton, IA.
Visitation will be held Monday, March 28, 2016, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the funeral home.
Burial will be at Fulton Township Cemetery in Fulton, IL.
A memorial service will be held at The Salvation Army Muncie Community Center (Citadel) in Muncie, IN, on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 6:00 p.m.
Memorials may be given to the Clinton, IA, Salvation Army.
Online condolences may be left at www.papefh.com.