Robert Hetherington Robinson, a retired civil servant, has died at the age of 76.

Robert was born in Enniskillen, the only son and second child of railway employee George Robinson and his wife Mary. His father was stationmaster in Ballinamallard and later in Belleek where Robert attended the local Primary School. The family left Fermanagh when his father was transferred to Ballyroney station in County Down.

Robert continued his education at Banbridge Academy and later joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service, rising to the rank of Principal Officer in the Department of Finance and Personnel from which he retired in 1995. In 1972 he was married in Glendermott Presbyterian Church to Maureen Watson.

He had become a Christian at the age of 16 and was later ordained as an elder of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Among his varied interests was choral singing and both he and his wife were members of the choir in Belmont Presbyterian Church, Belfast and the King’s Chorale. He was also a member of a Probus Club and a walking club and had a lifelong interest in railways and in vintage cars.

After his funeral service in Belmont Presbyterian Church he was buried in the Robinson family plot in Cleenish Churchyard, Bellanaleck. Robert is survived by his wife Maureen, sons Paul (London) and Stephen (Florida), grandsons James, Ben and Oliver and by his only sister Helen Patterson (Jerrettspass, County Armagh).