OGR is privileged to bestow its 2011 Golden Light Award to
Robin Williams.

About Robin Williams
Robin started his career in funeral service the way many of us in this room have, as the son of a funeral director.  After obtaining his degree in mortuary science, he joined his father’s funeral home and worked his way up to partner in the firm before becoming owner at his father’s death.

He is always ready to answer the call to serve his fellow funeral directors. His firm has been a member of OGR for 40 years, and he served as OGR president 28 years after his father served as OGR president. He served two terms on the OGR board of directors, as well as serving on numerous committees. The OGR Pheasant Hunt is one of his favorite times of the year, as he can combine his love for the outdoors with the camaraderie of fellow funeral directors. He is a founding member of his state’s independent funeral directors association, where he also served as president. Additionally, he has worked with his state’s legislature to better the laws for independent funeral homes in his state.

Robin has also made a lasting mark in his community. He is a Past President of the Seminole Chamber of Commerce as well as Past President of the Lake Seminole Rotary Club, where he was named Rotarian of the Year in 1995, and is a Paul Harris Fellow.  One of the individuals who nominated our winner describes him as having a “passion for service above self,” and noted that he “serves his own family, funeral families, staff, community and friends with utmost respect and love.”

Launched in 2008, the Golden Rule Community Service Award singles out a member firm for outstanding service to the community performed during the calendar year.

Martin Funeral Home was very active in their local communities of Mt. Morris, Vassar and Fairgrove last year.

If you visited them in April, you would have found them at the Annual Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt, the Rotary Club Adopt-a-Highway Clean Up, the Kiwanis All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner and the Community Health Fair.

In July, they were involved with the Rotary Duck Race, the Knights of Columbus Car and Truck Show and the Make Someone Smile Week.

In October, you would have found them at the American Cancer Dinner and Auction Fundraiser, the Glen Arbor Field Day, the Breast Cancer Walk, the Kiwanis Club Annual Peanut Sale, the Asset Protection Medicaid Seminar, and at Trunk-or-Treat. (No that’s not a typo.)

But none of those events are the reason Martin Funeral Home is being honored today. Instead, they are being honored for one of their December activities that they start planning in the autumn of each year – the Vassar Yuletide and Tree of Lights Remembrance Ceremony. The Yuletide event is a free family-oriented afternoon of fun with activities such as face painting, cookie decorating, photos with Santa and school artwork displays hosted at local downtown businesses. Families get to enjoy holiday time together while businesses and organizations involved can increase their visibility in the community. The day kicks off with the arrival of Santa on a fire truck, includes a free showing of a holiday movie and culminates in the lighting of the Tree of Lights and remembrance service. For each light that is lit on the tree, a donation is made to the local Coats for Kids program, and in 2010 over $600 was raised. When the previous organizers of the event stepped down, Martin Funeral Home stepped up to take the reins of this new community tradition to not only ensure that it would continue, but also to ensure that it would grow and flourish.

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