Elizabeth (Beth) Margaret Robinson

Elizabeth (Beth) Margaret Robinson 82, of Denver, Colorado died February 3, 2026, at Swedish Hospital in Englewood. Beth was born November 19,1943 in San Francisco, California to Margaret Fairbairn Fowler and Frederick Earl Fowler. Beth graduated from Mt. St. Gertrude Academy, Western State College, Antioch College, and the University of Colorado. She married Robert F. Robinson in 1966, who predeceased her in 2017.

Beth lived her earliest years in San Francisco. Her father was stationed at nearby Treasure Island for most of World War II. Beth spent countless hours being pushed by her parents on epic stroller rides up and down the hills of the city and as far west as the Pacific. She would return to the San Francisco Bay Area often to explore Big Sur, to visit close friends in the Napa Valley and in the city, and to spend time with her children who were undergraduates in California.

At the conclusion of the war her family returned to Colorado, where Beth remained for most of her life. In Denver she was shortly joined by a little brother and enjoyed the new proximity to paternal grandparents Momi and Grandpa Ralph, Great Grandma Trent, pet Angora rabbit Molly, and the novelty of snowy winters. In 1948 Beth moved to Boulder with her family where she lived until leaving for college. During those years her family grew to include three little sisters and another baby brother who became the “little kids” to Beth and her brother, Fred. Beth spent her childhood at 3229 4th Street and for the rest of her days she carried the memories of this cherished world in her heart, made all the more special for its connection to the fleetingness of youth. Growing up in Boulder at the foot of the Rockies instilled in Beth a deep appreciation of the beauty of the natural world which she sought throughout her life

Beth attended Western State College in Gunnison on a Boettcher Scholarship, graduating in 1965. She married Bob Robinson in nearby Crested Butte in August of the following year. After Bob’s graduate studies in New Mexico, they settled in Denver and were overjoyed by the arrivals of daughter Buffy and son Chris. Beth and her husband Bob wove a life together that invited everyone in, and they delighted in good food, good conversation, and music. They took great pleasure in hosting their siblings and their shared extended and overlapping families, welcoming generations of Robinsons, DePaulos, Fowlers, and Bonifazis into their home. Beth and Bob often helped family members in need and made special efforts to celebrate the milestones, large and small, of their beloved extended family. They would go on to cultivate a deep love and appreciation of New Mexico, returning often, staying in Santa Fe for extended periods, and hosting numerous friends and family members for simple yet unforgettable times of togetherness.

Beth pursued a career in teaching, early childhood development and school psychology. She received her M.Ed.from Antioch College in 1977, and in 1992, she completed her dissertation on peer conflict management in a middle school setting and received a PhD in Psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Beth was devoted to improving the lives of school-aged children and was a valued mentor and colleague to many throughout her decades-long career in public education.

Family remained central to Beth throughout her life. She maintained relationships with her many nieces and nephews and savored getting to know their partners and children. In recent years, after the loss of her beloved husband, Beth’s siblings, children, and grandchildren formed the essential fabric of her life that sustained her in times of transition and the changing world. She was infinitely proud of her five grandchildren and was always eager to hear of their adventures and accomplishments.

Whether professionally or personally, Beth engaged with the world through a generous concern for others and a refusal to judge. She was genuinely curious about everyone she cared about, appreciated each person in her life for who they truly were, and took heartfelt delight in their efforts and successes. Beth’s love and life-long learning extended to the political causes she supported, the children she served over decades, her long-lasting book clubs and the many books she avidly read.

Not having Beth to share our lives is a loss to all of us who knew and loved her. This extends to her faithful little dog, Kipper, who shared countless walks with Beth on the Highline Canal near their home, where they shared the ever-changing light, snows, rain, pine-scented air and the cycles of the seasons until the last weeks of her life.

Beth is survived by children Buffy Naake (Vernon) and Chris Robinson of Denver; grandchildren Morgan and Wesley Naake, and Sofi, Ben and Ashley Robinson, of Denver; siblings Fred Folwer (Carol) of Grand Junction, Mary Swanson of Delta, Joe Fowler (Rita) of Dolores, Jeanne Porter of Durango, and Susie Woodbury (Pete) of Grand Junction; and brothers-in-law Ennio Bonifazi of Denver and Dan Robinson (Gigi) of Grand Junction.

A celebration of life will be held at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Gates Hall, on Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Beth to Crested Butte Land Trust.

https://cblandtrust.org/