Roy Anthony “Tony” Robson Obituary

Roy Anthony “Tony” Robson passed away on May 1 at the age of 88. He was born on December 29, 1936, in Huntington, West Virginia, to Cledith (“Robbie”) and Annabelle Robson.

Tony’s aptitude for science led him to enroll in the pre-med program at Columbia University in New York City, though he often said his greatest education came from the city itself. One of the ways he supported himself during those years, he liked to recall, was by playing bridge with little old ladies — and apparently winning enough to buy groceries.

Tony’s growing interest in the humanities ultimately focused on linguistics. After two years teaching English in programs in Saudi Arabia, he accepted a position at the American College for Girls in Istanbul, Turkey. There he met and fell in love with fellow teacher Barbara Baker, whom he married on March 23, 1966.

In 1968, Tony and Barbara left Istanbul to attend graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, where they both earned Ph.D. degrees. Tony went on to teach linguistics in the English Department at the University of Wisconsin before moving to Washington, D.C.

In Washington, Tony became a primary linguist at the Center for Applied Linguistics, where he worked on the language components of the Saudi Arabian National Guard’s English program. Over time, his interests expanded to the education of disadvantaged youth, and he spent the remainder of his career in long-term positions with corporations overseeing their investments in and operation of Department of Labor Job Corps centers across the country.

In retirement, Tony devoted himself to duplicate bridge and became a familiar and respected presence at regional tournaments. He won the Northern Virginia Bridge Association Mini-McKenney Award for the most masterpoints earned in a year, and he was also honored with the Sarah Goodwin Award in 2009.

Tony is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their son, David Anthony Robson.