Walter Robinson Jr.

Walter Franklin Robinson, Jr. 

85, of Hector, passed away Wednesday, November 4, 2026, following a brief illness.

He was born in 1941 in East Moriches NY, the son of Walter and Margaret Robinson, he followed a career of fire protection, safety and training.

He is survived by his wife Diana (Zell) Robinson; son James (Janine) Robinson of Leesburg, FL; grandson, Brett Robinson; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; sisters, Mary and Elaine Baker (nee Robinson); and brother Frank.

Walt personally distinguished himself through military service, local and national organizational involvement and volunteer endeavors in the communities he resided. Encouraging his students at whatever age to excel, his ability to teach anything from celestial navigation to incident command to mechanics to arson investigation was simply amazing.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Walter volunteered with the East Moriches Fire Department in 1962. He would later be a valued member of the Center Moriches FD, the Lodi (NY) FD. As a Lodi firefighter he served in all offices both line and administrative. For 18 years he was a member of the Seneca County Fire Advisory Board. Moving to Hector, he joined the Valois Logan Hector Fire Company and serving for a time on its Board of Directors.

Walt’s interest in the fire service led him to accept a position with the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshals Office, from 1973 until 1980. He obtained an AAS in fire science from Suffolk Community College in 1976. He was a past President of the Fire Inspectors Association of Suffolk County.

His exemplary career at the State level began July 1980 when assigned to the New York State Academy of Fire Science as an Associate Training Technician (Arson). He led the team developing the fire and arson investigation program still being delivered today. He became a Deputy Chief in 1987 and his responsibilities were expanded to include arson investigation technical assistance to localities. August of 1991 he was reassigned to the Fire Services Bureau, remaining at the Fire Academy. As a Fire Service Bureau Deputy Chief Walter was responsible for coordinating and managing fire service academy programs like basic recruit training, instructor training, leadership training, dispatcher training, Emergency Medical training and technical rescue. His successes were many including the most recent implementation of the “On-scene Rehabilitation for Emergency Operations”, “Legal Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service” and the “Fire Officer series”. Under OFPC he responded to many complex emergencies and disasters, including the 9/11 recovery EOC in NY City and the 1998 North Country ice storm.

During his career with the State of New York he represented this Agency in many capacities including as a Director of the Faculty-Student Association; as a Director of Chapter 23 of the International Association of Fire Investigators, and as an International Fire Service Training Association Validation Committee member for the ‘introduction to Fire Origin and Cause 2nd Edition and the “Fire Investigator”, 1st Edition.

Walt honorably served on active duty as an enlisted member of the U.S. Army Signal Corp from April 1959 until May of 1962 when he transferred to the Army Reserve as an E-5. In September 1973 he became a member of the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve where he remained until his retirement in February 2000. While serving as a Chief Warrant Officer 4th Grade (Boatswain) he commanded Reserve Unit Montauk Walt and his unit were activated and instrumental in the recovery operations resulting from the crash of TWA 800 into the Atlantic Ocean on July 16, 1996. After retiring from the Reserves, he served the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Ithaca for over 23 years, leading for a time as Commander and achieving coxswain, Auxiliary Operations and Boat Force Operations.

A Memorial Service will be at the Valois-Logan-Hector Fire Department,5736 NY-414, Hector, on Saturday, November 21 at 2:00PM, followed by a Celebration of Life and reception.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the VLH Fire Company or the Cure HHT Foundation.