Robin Earl Abbott was born August 26, 1965, at Fort Hood Army Base in Killeen, TX, to proud parents Melvin Lee Abbott and Rena Earlene Goodrich. Mel was a U.S. Army Soldier serving in Vietnam. Robin's earliest memories are of being around 3 years old and traveling to Hawaii to see his dad on leave. Robin remembers riding on his dad's shoulders along a beach, feeling 10 feet tall, and also noticing all of the pretty girls go by!

In his early years Robin remembers moving from place to place with his mom, waiting for his dad to be on leave, but they were always home to "Granddaddy's" in time for his birthday in August.  Grandparents Earl and Margaret Goodrich owned Peaceful Valley Ranch located north of Pritchett. They were transitioning from a ranch land they were selling in the Panhandle regions of Texas and New Mexico. Grandmother and Granddaddy were ecstatic to receive the news about their first grandchild. Their new house on the Pritchett ranch was finished just in time to celebrate a few months after Robin's arrival.

Robin remembers living with his parents in Los Angeles, CA, when he was 6 and attending 1st Grade there. He and his best friend liked to ride their bikes down to the corner of a very busy intersection and spend the afternoon watching car accidents. Perhaps this is where Robin made the decision to become an excellent driver. And he was. He never had a traffic accident. He did have some speeding tickets, but not nearly as many as he deserved!

Baby brother Kelly came along on May 19, 1971, while they were still in Los Angeles. Kelly says Robin has always been his hero. "He was the glue that kept everything together."

Because of summers at Granddaddy's ranch, Robin was in cowboy paradise when they moved to Pritchett permanently when he was in the 2nd Grade. Robin credits Suzie Brock with convincing him he wasn't stupid, spending time over her lunch break sitting at her desk with him and teaching him how to read. He became a voracious reader, eventually reading literally every book in the school library, working his way through the Pritchett library, and then convincing both librarians to get more books for him through the library loan program.

Second Grade in Pritchett is also where he met his lifelong best friend, brother-from-another-mother, and co-conspirator James Jordan. What one didn't think of to get into, the other one did. They are legends at Pritchett High School for stunts like hiding a pickup so well in a stack of 55-gallon barrels that it got reported stolen. Local cop Dinker Euwing chewed out the entire High School at an assembly over that one.  Robin still stayed in touch with the PHS Class of 1984: Melissa Day, Marsha Olivas, Mike Roberds, Keith VanCampen and Daniel Whitaker. They had so much fun together it is a wonder any of them graduated.

Robin's early years on the family ranch had him working with some of the best cowboys around. From a very young age he worked side by side with grown men, gleaning their respect. Up to his final days Robin spoke of purposely living life in a way that would make "those old cowboys" proud. Robin worked day labor on most of the local farms and ranches to earn his own spending money, including cleaning out the shop for Clyde Ming which became Robin's shop nearly 4 decades later. Robin's time with Granddaddy Earl Goodrich is also where he learned to be a wildly creative storyteller.

A new baby sister, Lexie, entered the picture for Robin & Kelly on March 25, 1977 in Hollywood, CA. They shared a mom but grew up in completely different cultures. Lexie's first trip to the ranch from their home in CA was when she was 8. Hollywood to Pritchett, can you imagine the culture shock?! By the time Lexie spent her first summer at Granddaddy Earl's ranch she was 13. Before long the older brothers had Lexie under their wings, and Lexie had permanent giant bookend protectors at her beck & call. Lexie describes Robin as her defender from that moment on.

Robin attended DeVry Institute of Technology in 1984 and 1985 studying Computer Science. When funds ran out Robin enlisted in the US Air Force in 1986. He completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. Tech School was at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, to become a Helicopter Maintenance Specialist. Kelly remembers being told by a fellow Airman that Robin was "a God because he taught himself to do vibration analysis" just by reading the manuals. Robin was Crew Chief. His helicopters were the HH-3E Jolly Green Giants. His favorite post was in Alaska. Robin was honorably discharged in 1990.

After the Service Robin lived in Pueblo, CO, and Columbus, NE. But ultimately, he landed in the Tampa Bay area of FL to be near his mom and sister Lexie. Robin was "Florida Man" for 24 years. This is where he became a traveling jewelry salesman for Gold Coast, seeing all 50 states. Robin spent his last 10 years in FL at Pall Aeropower as second shift Team Lead (boss). He was a hydraulic mechanic who competently tested & built filtration systems for aerospace and defense contracts. Florida is also where he assumed responsibilities as "The Uncle." Robin's proudest accomplishment by far in FL was helping raise Lexie's kids: Ayla, Camden & Koen. Sometimes he was helpful, and others he was the instigator of hijinks! Robin taught them his exceptional driving skills, how to tell wild stories, how to find the good in every situation, how to shoot firearms, how to build an epic firepit and bonfire, and how to enjoy life. His #1 rule was "Don't scare the Uncle!" He taught them that "knives are always on duty" and "the gun is always loaded" — this saved Camden's life, literally. And he taught Camden the art of how to scare girls in cars. There is so much we could say, but so much of him lives on in them.

Periodically Robin would travel through Baca County on his way to see his brother Kelly in OK, or his dad Mel in Pueblo. In 2016 Robin turned up to say "Howdy" at Joyce & Eddie Ming's on one of those road trips, as his Granddaddy's ranch was just north of the Ming ranch growing up. Misty also happened to be there helping on the ranch that day. It was the beginning of them reconnecting. Realizing their common country history and values made them "weird in the same way," led to an engagement in July of 2021 and a marriage on May 28, 2022. They were both a strange mix who really enjoyed cattle work & musical theatre, dark humor & deep intellectual or spiritual conversations. They "got" each other; they had finally found "their person." They had several amazing trips in the Tampa Bay area with Kelly & Lexie's families, went to visit New York City with feisty friends Matt & Amy Locke (saw Wicked!), and to the Big Island of Hawaii with Misty's cousins Leisa & Melvin Musgrove.

Robin became Misty's safe harbor in a storm, as her mom Joyce's health failed. Joyce passed only 7 short months ago. Robin became Eddie's right hand at fixing everything mechanical. Misty & Robin's favorite work together was cattle work. They had an unusually deep connection that made for one heck of a partnership. But fencing together was a total disaster that ended in fireworks, so Robin got to fence alone! Nathan & Robin were cut of the same genius cloth, so they were often found having intellectual theory or political discussions and were always ganging up on Misty with their ornery banter.

By far Robin's favorite trip was to Hungary in June of 2023 to be part of his nephew Camden's wedding. He got to spend 10 days soaking up family time, taking in new sights, food, and adult beverages!

Robin was the hero to so many people. Robin literally saved several people's lives. To many more he was a trusted confidant and counselor. To everyone he was the positive, happy, supportive glue that held everything together. He poured himself out for others.

Robin was preceded in death by his Granddaddy Earl Goodrich, Grandmother Margaret Goodrich, father Melvin Abbott, and mother-in-law Joyce Ming. Robin is survived by wife Misty Ming-Abbott, bonus son Nathan George, and father-in-law Eddie Ming of the ranch in Soldier Canyon west of Pritchett; mother Rena Earlene Goodrich of Tampa, FL; brother Kelly (Trisha) Abbott of Mooreland, OK; sister Lexie (Mike) Sexsmith of Tampa, FL; nieces and nephews: Cheyenne (Rocky) Bellotti, Camden (Laura) Sexsmith, Ayla (Cesar) Gomez, and Koen Sexsmith.