J. Kenneth Robinson of Canton, a veteran music minister who served churches throughout Texas and New Mexico, died June 12. He was 85. Robinson was born Sept. 27, 1932 in Fort Smith, Ark. After he graduated from Fort Smith Senior High School, he earned his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1954 and his master’s degree in religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1956. As a seminary student, she served several churches in the Fort Worth area before becoming minister of music at First Baptist Church in Princeton. While serving in Princeton, he met Addie Thompson, an elementary school teacher, and they married Nov. 22, 1956. Other churches he served included First Baptist Church in Farmersville, First Baptist Church in Greenville, San Jacinto Baptist Church in Amarillo and Meadows Baptist Church in Plano, along with congregations in Clovis and Carlsbad, N.M. In 1987, he became director of missions for Pecos Valley Baptist Association in Artesia, N.M., serving there until he retired in 1998. In retirement, he was an intentional interim minister in New Mexico. Robinson wrote children’s music curriculum, articles for church training magazines and other material for LifeWay Christian Resources. He led revivals and conferences in 17 states, as well as music conferences at Glorieta and Ridgecrest Baptist Assemblies. He also taught as an adjunct instructor in children’s music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Robinson was elected president of the Sunday School Convention and church training union of New Mexico and also was a vice president of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. He led youth choir mission trips and Vacation Bible Schools, as well as evangelistic mission trips to Mexico and South Korea. He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Addie Robinson of Canton; daughter Libby Clifton of Amarillo; son J. Mark Robinson of Canton; daughter Robin Newman of McKinney; son David Robinson of Amarillo; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Katherine Sherwood of Southern California.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.