Robin Hiser, beloved daughter of Ronald and Ann Hiser, was born June 3, 1954, and died Feb. 11, 2020.
Because Robin died at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, her family was unable to gather and celebrate her life in the way they had hoped.
Family and friends will gather Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a memorial celebration at 128 North Main Street in downtown Mansfield. There will be a planned service from 11 a.m. to noon.
Robin was born with Down syndrome and became the “special angel” of the Hiser family. At a time when educational opportunities for children with special needs were limited, her parents joined with other local families to help create a place where their children could receive an education. Those efforts helped lead to the creation of Richland Newhope Center, where Florence Watts became Robin’s first teacher.
Robin went on to work at the Yellow Deli in Mansfield, where she served as a bus girl and greeted diners. She also worked as an assistant at several preschools and was beloved by children and parents alike.
Her faith was central to her life. Robin loved writing letters to friends and people she met, often reminding them that Jesus loved them. She became involved with Joni and Friends disability ministry and spoke at multiple venues about her experience living with Down syndrome. She was also featured in the video “When Robin Prays,” which was used in Christian colleges to teach about disability ministry in the church.
Later in life, Robin became what she called a “late bloomer” as an artist and developed a love for drawing and painting.
Robin lived in Mansfield before moving with her parents to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her brother, Bill, died in October 2009. Following her father’s death, Robin and her mother moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to be near other family members. Her mother, Ann, preceded Robin in death in February 2014.
Wherever Robin lived, she made friends and left a lasting impression on those who knew her.
Friends and family who knew Robin are invited to join in celebrating her life and homecoming on Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This will be a visiting time with extended family, with a one-hour celebration of life service from 11 a.m. to noon.
Please join us if you knew Robin and help us celebrate her homecoming as the “Bride of Christ.”
Location: 128 North Main Street, Mansfield, Ohio
Time: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Celebration of life service from 11 a.m.-noon, with visiting time before and after.)
~ Ro, Ellen, Jill, Sally and more family
