Resident of Saratoga

Dr. Karl Willard Robinson passed away on the night of December 14, 2024 at his home in Saratoga, California.

Karl was a dedicated physician, devoted family man, adventurous traveler and passionate jazz lover. He was 94 years old.

Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, on August 18, 1930, Karl spent most of his childhood in Evanston, Illinois. He graduated from Evanston Township High School, before earning his undergraduate and medical school degrees at Northwestern University.

After completing his residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Karl applied for service abroad in France, and served as a U.S. Air Force pediatrician from 1958-1961 in Chateauroux. That time in France fostered his love for French culture and inspired a lifetime of travels all over the globe.

After his return to the States, Karl relocated his family to California in 1962 to open a private practice in San Jose, where he practiced pediatrics for 35 years and was a founding member of the Good Samaritan Medical Group.Throughout his career, Karl was a dedicated doctor for countless children, many of whom would stop him on the street years later to thank him for the exceptional care he had provided for them and their children.

Karl spent his retirement travelling the world with his wife and often his entire family, creating customized itineraries for adventures in more than 48 countries. He captured each trip with photo albums that featured his knack for travel photography and wrote detailed journals documenting his love of diverse arts, cultures, people, and food.

As an avid fan of jazz music, Karl’s encyclopedic knowledge and infectious passion for the genre were unmatched.

He delighted in taking family and friends on listening tours through his extensive record and CD collection and frequently treated them to jazz concerts throughout the Bay Area, often waiting after concerts to share his enthusiasm personally with the musicians. A longtime member of the Palo Alto Jazz Alliance, Karl was also a staunch supporter of Stanford Jazz Workshop, where he served as a donor, volunteer, and frequent attendee.

He also loved attending performances at Bach, Dancing & Dynamite Society (Half Moon Bay), where he was a member for many years.

Karl was a man of profound empathy and insatiable curiosity, with a keen intellect and razor-sharp memory, qualities that inspired admiration and love from his colleagues and friends. He was a devoted and generous mentor, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, who valued kindness and integrity and delighted in the exchange of ideas. The Robinson dinner table always featured impassioned conversation.

Karl is survived by his loving wife, Theresa; his daughter, Karen and her husband Richard Garner; his son, Dean and wife Sylvie Yntema; grandchildren, Jeramie and Caleb Robinson; and his sister Frances Harrison (husband James Harrison) who loved him dearly and will miss him deeply.

The family will hold a private memorial.

Donations in Karl’s memory can be made to Stanford Jazz Workshop, Bach Dancing &Dynamite Society, and the Palo Alto Jazz Alliance.