Kenneth Ray Robinson, age 72, born on November 15, 1952, in Murphysboro, Illinois was called home on August 6, 2025, in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in East Carondelet and Dupo, Illinois, where he carved out a life full of stories that shaped both his sense of humor and his famously stubborn personality.

Depending on when and where you met him, you might have known him as Kenny or Kenny Ray, but either way, he left an impression that stuck. He was known for his sense of humor and quick comebacks. In his young adult years he was in a local band – Midnight Express, where he played the guitar and sang. Music came to him naturally, he learned to play the guitar and some piano by simply listening.

Kenny loved animals. Growing up, he always had a dog and even in his later years, when some memories started to fade, he could still name every one of them. He shared that love of animals with his children by rescuing all types of animals and unexpectedly bringing them home. Dogs, cats, raccoons, mice (yep!), opossums, ferrets, snakes, iguanas… the list of rescued animals is very long.

He lived for family reunions, to him, they were better than any holiday. It was hands down his favorite day of the year. He’d show up early, make the rounds, stir the pot (lovingly or not), and start planning the next one before the current one finished. He never missed a chance to be surrounded by people he cared about.

He loved WWE wrestling (if you wanted to argue, go ahead and call it fake). He loved to tell stories about how he started watching it when it was CWC and how many shows he had been to. You could find him many summer afternoons “resting his eyes,” watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball, or at a local fishing spot with a cold drink and something cooking on the grill.

A proud U.S. Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War, Kenny’s time in the service left its mark. He came home, but some parts of him didn’t, and the weight of that never fully left him. But with being the joking man he was, he still found humor in the hard times. He liked to joke that his bald head was thanks to a tank flipping over during his time in Germany. We never really knew if it was a true story or not, but he told it well enough that it made you believe him. His military service wasn’t just something he talked about, it was something he respected deeply. He made sure his kids understood what it meant to serve and to respect those who did.

He leaves behind four children — Iris Mitchell (Brian), Sarah Blockinger (Andy), Luke Robinson, and Hannah Thompkins (Stacey), and nine grandchildren: Taylor; Brianna, Brian, Jayden, Johnathan, and Sean; Rosalie and Pixie; and Harmony. He was also blessed with four great-grandchildren, a large extended family, and countless friends who were an important part of his life.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Kenny Robinson and Betty Robinson (née Melton); his brothers Donald Robinson and Michael Robinson; and his nephew Kevin Robinson.

The family is deeply grateful to his niece Natasha, who helped care for Kenny in the last few years of his life, and to the compassionate nurses and staff of Gentiva Hospice. Their kindness, humor, and support brought him comfort and peace, and their care for both Kenny and his family will always be remembered.

A military committal service will be held at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 12, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. Those planning to attend are asked to contact his daughter Iris in advance, as all guests will need to meet at a designated location before traveling to the cemetery together. A reception will follow the service, because Kenny never missed a good get-together, especially if good food and family was involved.