Princeton Daily Clarion (IN) - Monday, February 5, 2007

Deceased Name: Mary Selby Robinson

Mary Selby Robinson, 80, of rural Lawrenceville, Ill., died Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007 at her home. She was born Aug. 16, 1926 in Lawrence County, Ill. to Arnold and Leona (Crawford Alford, both deceased.

She worked at Golden Rule Insurance Co. as a claims clerk for 10 years. She was a member of the Birds Free Methodist Church, in Birds, Ill.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Jim Selby; a son, Jim Selby; two brothers, Francis Alford and David Alford; and four sisters, Norma Warner, Betty Profitt, Faye Alford and Jeanette Alford.

She is survived by a step son, Curtis (Tammy) Robinson; daughters, Rachel (Dave) McCullough, and Cathy (Merle) Wells; step daughter, Judy Ruppel; brothers, Ray Alford, Don Allen, Carl "Jack" Alford and Gary Alford; sisters, Mildred Profitt, Shirley Woodruff, Vera Stevens, Edith Simmons and Phyllis Darden; six grandchildren; seven step grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and six step great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the Emmons-Macey and Steffey Funeral Home, in Lawrenceville, Ill.

Burial will be at Centerville Cemetery. Visitation will b from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.





Vincennes Sun-Commercial (IN) - Saturday, February 3, 2007
Deceased Name: Mary Selby Robinson: Pinkstaff woman dead after fire ravages home
Staff report

PINKSTAFF, Ill. - A Pinkstaff woman was found dead inside her home Saturday after fire ravaged the house in the wee hours of the morning Saturday.

Mary Selby Robinson, 80, was pronounced dead Saturday by Lawrence County Coroner Shannon Steffey. Mrs. Robinson, 80, lived in the home with her husband, Gene Robinson. The Robinsons were both at home when the fire broke out.

"Her husband was helped out of the residence by a neighbor," Steffey said.

Steffey said she believes Mr. Robinson is either 85 or 86. He was taken to the Lawrence County Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released.

When the fire was toned out to the fire department at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, the dispatcher at the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department indicated that an elderly woman had called in the fire as she was exiting the residence.

"It is my understanding Mrs. Robinson was the one who called the fire department," Steffey said. "It is very easy for an elderly person to become disoriented very quickly in a fire."

Steffey said an autopsy on Mrs. Robinson will be conducted to determine a cause of death.

"I believe that there were working smoke detectors in the residence," Steffey said.

Lawrence-Allison Fire Protection District firefighters were assisted in battling the blaze by firefighters from Bridgeport Fire Protection District, Denison Fire Protection District and Vincennes Township Fire Department.

Lawrence-Allison firefighters were told while still in en route to the scene that while one resident had exited the home safely, a woman was trapped inside the single-story residence. Despite repeated efforts to enter the home, the firefighters were, however, unable to rescue Robinson in time.

The home was fully involved when firefighters arrived. And the dispatcher said that a garage with two vehicles inside had just exploded prior to the firefighters' arrival. Bridgeport firefighters arrived within minutes.

Vincennes Township firefighters were called as the first firefighters began arriving on the scene and saw the severity of the blaze, which lit up the night sky from several miles away.

Denison firefighters were contacted a few minutes later.

An investigation into the fire is being conducted by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, the Illinois Fire Marshall's Office and the Lawrence County Coroner's Office.

Prior to her retirement, Mrs. Robinson was a claims clerk at Golden Rule Insurance Company in Lawrenceville for 10 years. She was also a member of the Birds Free Methodist Church.