Elizabeth Mary (Bauer) Robinson

PORTAGE – Elizabeth Mary (Bauer) Robinson was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 22, 1932, to Charlotte (Staudenmeyer) and Clarence Bauer. She passed away May 4, 2025. Libbie lived in Arlington until she was 8 years old, then moved to Portage. She graduated from Portage High school in 1950 and attended Madison Business College for one year.

She met the love of her life, Bob Robinson, while working for C.J. Berst as a receptionist and switchboard operator. Bob and Libbie were married September 5, 1953, at St. Mary’s Church in Portage. They began their married life in Madison, where Libbie worked for General Telephone. From there they moved to Baraboo, where they began raising their children. In 1960, they moved to Portage, where she resided for over 60 years.

Libbie enjoyed golfing, working on puzzles, playing cribbage most nights with Bob, Shanghai Rummy, but most of all she loved refinishing old furniture, even a baby grand piano! She and Bob were avid Badger fans and had tickets to many football games. The highlight was attending the 1994 Rose Bowl game where the Badgers won. Go Bucky!

She started a coffee group with five women from their neighborhood in Portage that lasted for 60 years.

Libbie kept busy while raising their children by volunteering as co-coordinator for the Red Cross Blood Drive and coordinating Meals on Wheels. She remained a loyal volunteer for these groups for 20 and 19 years, respectively.

She is survived by her daughter Laura (Steve) O’Rourke of Madison and their children Kristin (Joe) Miller, Anna (Jeremy) Van Meter, and Nick (Emily); daughter Margot Robinson of Lodi and her children Cody, Jennifer and Ryan; son Matt of Shorewood, and his sons Micah (Clara) and Austin; and daughter Karen (Brian) Landers of Wisconsin Dells and their daughter Emma. She was blessed with seven great-grandchildren: Hailey, Rafe, and Evan Miller, Jake Van Meter, and Noah, Hannah and Julia O’Rourke. She was preceded in death by her son Rob in 1973, her brother Bill in 2008, and her husband Bob in 2013.

A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Libbie’s life will be held at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Portage, Wisconsin on May 30, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will take place from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., with a time of sharing from 12:30 p.m. until Mass at 1:00 p.m.

She would like to thank the following: Dr. Rak, for her last 32 years, since her cancer diagnosis; Ron and Tana, for being the greatest neighbors ever; the workers at Riverwood, who took care of her; the friends and dogs she met on her scooter rides; and Agrace, especially her hospice nurse, Katrina.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Mary’s School Tuition Assistance or the Columbia County Humane Society.

The Pflanz Mendrala Funeral Home, in Portage, is assisting the family.