Obituary of Doctor Mason Robison

Dr. Mason W. Robison passed from this earthly home on October 17, 2020 after a long illness. He was wrapped in the loving arms of his wife, Barbara. He was born on July 17, 1926 in Mullan, Idaho and was the youngest child of Dewey Robison & Pearl Gilbert Robison. He had a happy childhood and spent countless hours roaming the hills of northern Idaho. Mason joined the army in 1944 and was sent to guard the Gatun Locks in the Panama Canal. Mason’s dream was to become a physician so he started getting all of the necessary degrees. He met his wife, Dolores Hinds, and they married in 1950. He started medical school at the University of Oregon and obtained his MD degree in 1958. In the meantime, his son, Casey, was born. Mason went to Gorgas Hospital, a public health hospital, in Panama Canal Zone for his internship. While there, their daughter, Kathleen (Katy) was born. After Panama he did a psychiatric residency at the State Hospital in Salem, Oregon. He then did a child residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was Chief Resident at Stanford University. He worked many places in California and met his second wife, Marjorie Banaka, and was a father to her three children, Mary, Bard, & Alice. He then ended up in Alaska as Superintendent at Alaska Psychiatric Institute. In 1977 he hired a new Director of Nursing, Barbara Hathaway Knobloch. She also turned out to be the love of his life and they were married in Hawaii in 1981 while she was in school there. They had 39 wonderful years together. Before he retired, he was granted the high honor of being chosen as a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association & a few years later was made a Lifetime Fellow. Mason is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Willma and brother Willis. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, son Casey Johnson, daughter Katy Holland and grandchildren Courtney Holland, Shea (Anthony) Coleman-Brown, Samantha Holland, Connor Johnson, Thomas Holland, Shelby Johnson, Sydney (Jon) Friedman and Cohen Johnson. He also has 3 great grandchildren, Tanner, Bricen, and Daven. Family & friends are encouraged to share their memories of Dr. Mason Robison at www.rosenaufuneralhome.com