Compassionate Milton Pediatrician
John “Jack” Conyngham Robinson, MD., passed away at home in Milton, Massachusetts on April 20, at the age of 92. Jack was born on August 5, 1931 in New York City to Helen Monroe and Richard Ivers Robinson and grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 8th grade, he entered Milton Academy, where at the age of 14, he met the love of his life, June Nordblom. He graduated from Milton in 1949 and attended Princeton University, majoring in English literature. Following their junior year in college, Jack and June were married in Harwich Port on Cape Cod. In August of 2022, they gathered with extended family at the Cape to celebrate 70 years of marriage.
Upon graduating from Princeton in 1953, Jack spent four years in the Navy, based in San Diego. He served on active duty aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Stembel and became the ship’s navigator and an expert in celestial navigation in the Pacific. While based in California, Jack and June became the proud parents of two daughters, Pixie and Leslie. After the Navy,
Jack and June returned to Milton, welcoming sons, Richard and Mark into their family. Milton became their home base for the remainder of their wonderful lives together.
After attending Tufts Medical School, Jack completed his pediatric residency and fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served as Pediatric Chief Resident. A consummate educator and teacher, he mentored countless pediatricians and served as a teaching fellow and as an assistant clinical professor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School for almost 20 years. Jack started his private pediatric practice as a solo practitioner and over time, his practice grew into
Milton Pediatrics, with numerous pediatricians caring for thousands of children and families, spanning across multiple generations.
Jack was beloved by his patients and their families, valued as an astute diagnostician with a compassionate and gentle demeanor. He had a special way of putting his young patients and their parents at ease with his direct but kind manner, his cheerful humming and whistling of various songs throughout the day and his marvelous collection of fun ties, specifically curated with his young patients in mind. Upon his retirement at age 79 and in honor of over a half century of Jack’s devotion to patients and to training new physicians, his extended family and grateful patients established the John C. Robinson Chair in Pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Jack remained a dedicated alumnus of Milton Academy his entire life, appreciating the education he received and most of all, the lifelong friendships he made there. He served briefly on Milton’s Board of Trustees and spent countless hours volunteering as the school’s physician from 1972 to 2000. Jack was a lifelong gardener, each summer providing fresh vegetables for the dinner table and roses for June’s floral arrangements, often corralling his children to help cultivate and harvest. He relished a competitive round of bridge, though his friends would joke that they were often tempted to forfeit the kitty in advance, knowing that Jack would typically emerge victorious. Jack was an athlete throughout his life and Jack and
June enjoyed playing tennis and golf together for decades. Jack learned to ski and sail from June’s brother, Rod Nordblom, whom he revered like an older brother. He adored singing and was a romantic at heart, serenading June throughout their married life and writing poetry and songs for many special occasions. Jack’s family and friends will always remember him for his integrity, his strong moral compass, his compassion for others and for the appreciation he had for all the wonderful people and events in his life.
Jack is survived by his brother, Peter Robinson; and by his four children and their spouses, Ailene Robinson (Tom Lewis), Leslie Will (Anthony Will), Richard Robinson (Carolyn Payne) and Mark Robinson (Tisa Hughes); ten grandchildren; and nine greatgrandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, June Nordblom Robinson; and his grandson, John (Jack) Robinson.
A Celebration of Jack’s Life will be held at Apthorp Chapel, Milton Academy, 170 Centre Street, Milton, on June 27, at 11 AM, followed by a Reception, at 191 Clyde Street, Brookline. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that anyone wishing to honor
Jack consider a donation to the John C. Robinson, MD Chair in Pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Development Office, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 or to Milton Academy in support of financial aid www. Milton.edu/donate
To leave the Robinson family a condolence message, please visit www. dolanfuneral.com