Delbert Leroy Robbins
December 3, 1931 - June 8, 1994
Interment: Greenwood Cemetery, Brookings, SD
Delbert Leroy Robbins was the second child born to Willis and Laura (Mickelson) Robbins of Bushnell, SD. Delbert grew up on a farm just to the north of the Bushnell town site and he attended school in Bushnell until the 8th grade and then moved to Brookings during the school year to finish his education and graduate from Brookings High School in 1949.
Delbert enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 at the age of 19 and spent four years of service to his country during the Korean War and beginning of the Vietnam War. His time in the Navy was chronicled in over 800 letters written by him and to him while he was in the service. These letters were transcribed into four volumes that the family has enjoyed reading and reminiscing over the early 1950's around the Bushnell, White, and Brookings areas.
After his time in the service, Delbert returned to Bushnell and farmed with his Dad while having a little bit of fun with his friends from Bushnell and White. His cousin Scoot Mickelson was dating a girl from Brookings and she had a friend that they just knew Delbert should meet. They set up a blind date and met up at the Bushnell Garage. Delbert and Joanne hit it off and were married on April 14, 1957. Delbert and Joanne farmed and raised their four children (Jeff, Mike, Pat and Kathy) in Bushnell. In 1965, he was named the Outstanding Young Farmer and in 1967, Delbert started working at South Dakota State University in the Corn Breeding unit. While employed, he received his Associates Degree. He later became the Farm Manager for the Plant Science Department and retired in 1993.
Delbert was a member of the United Methodist Church of Aurora, a life member of the George Dokken VFW Post 2118 in Brookings, and the Pike-Huska American Legion Post No, 230 in Aurora, SD. He loved to go hunting and fishing and had planned to learn to golf after his retirement. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with cancer in November of 1993 and died on June 8, 1994.
(Survivors at the time of passing): Delbert was survived by his wife Joanne, his father Willis, his sister Darlene (Lloyd) Zweep of Garretson, SD, his four children and six grandchildren.
