Singer, Tim McGraw, has a great new song out: “Always be humble and kind…” It reminds me of Patricia Singleton Robinson, and how she conducts her life. Plus, Patricia is a big country music fan… so it’s befitting that country singer, Tim McGraw, would be the one singing her song. Pat also attends the Country Music Awards every year, and says: "There is nothing quite like a great pair of cowboy boots...They last forever and never die!"
1994 was the year this “fine Texas lady”, her husband, Roy, and family moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Patricia worked with her brother, Dean Singleton, founder of MediaNews Group in Houston (which is still the parent company of the Denver Post) when the Family Robinson came to join Dean in Denver. Pat continued to work with Dean at Media News Group for almost 30 years.
The family brought many wonderful memories and beautiful antique furniture pieces with them to Colorado. Patricia said she and her family had been looking for a home in the Denver area for some time during an active housing market, but kept getting outbid until they found the home in Highlands Ranch. Roy Robinson passed away in 2001, and Patricia thought about moving back to Texas because of her roots and friendships there, but Colorado already felt like home; and she also remembered some words of wisdom from a man she spoke with on a plane ride: “You can be happy wherever you are, it’s up to you!”
Doing good in the community comes easy to Patricia Robinson. She was taught as a child to be generous and giving. Low-key, level-headed, but certainly fun loving, Patricia has gone with the flow in her life accepting any changes as an adventure. She was very involved on the board with the “Star of Hope Mission”( a VOA like) organization founded by Carlos Morris in Houston for many years. Because of her charitable giving in Texas, she was able to have friendships there with people like President George W. Bush and his mother Barbara Bush.
When the Robinson children were young, the family moved quite often because of Roy Robinson's job in the off-shore drilling business, and the family spend time in several countries outside of the United States. Patricia says about the different moves: "I just love life in general, and I've always accepted this is where my life is, so I'm going to enjoy it! I love learning about different cultures and people; and my kids are grateful for the opportunities they had to see the world and to still keep in touch with all the people and build friendships that have lasted forever."
As far as her relationship with her brother Dean Singleton, Patricia says: "Dean and I are very close because we were the closest to our father… Our mother was great, and never had any faults. Daddy had some, and so did we, so I think we identified with him! It's been such a good and fun life - and what a challenge to watch my brother, Dean, build his empire to become the second largest media group in the nation after Gannett. It has been amazing to be part of that. It’s an all American success story that came from very humble beginnings."
Pat officially retired from MediaNews Group in 2014 - a year after her brother Dean. And, as far as the ever-changing newspaper industry, Patricia Singleton Robinson says: “Newspapers have been the cornerstone of our democracy, it’s sad to see them have to re-invent themselves.”
What are some of the nonprofits you are involved with? The DCPA Women’s Voices Fund as an associate, I'm a VOA board member & guild member; TAPS (Tragic Assistance Program for Survivors), and I have worked on many fundraising committees. I’ve been involved with Bessie’s Hope, giving hope to the elderly. My mother had Alzheimer’s, and we had her here with us in Denver until she passed. Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis and the National Multiple Sclerosis of course because of Dean’s MS diagnosis. I’ve also worked with the National Center for the Disabled. (See a more complete list of Patricia’s charities below.)
Out of all the yearly charity events you attend, which one is your favorite? Western Fantasy for Volunteers of America. I’ve gone to every one for the last 12 years.
How would you describe your style and your personality? Never met a person I didn’t like… love being around people. I try to make a point of making people feel comfortable with a friendly word. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through. And since western attire is a heritage with me… I love cowboy boots; there is nothing more comfortable than a pair of boots!
What do you consider a fun night out in Denver? Dean is on the DCPA board, so I love theatre and music… so anything with those two is a fun night out.
What are some of your favorite Denver restaurants? Elway’s, Shanahan’s – and right here where we are having lunch, the Perfect Landing at Centennial Airport.
What is your most treasured family possession? Probably our round antique claw foot table which is now in Luxenberg with my niece who is like a daughter to me. My grandfather originally bought it secondhand, and Amy moved it with her to Luxenberg when she got married. I’ve made several trips to Luxenberg since.
What was your first job as a teen? I was 14 years old, and I worked at Winn’s Variety Store.
Best travel advice to people? If you want to travel, do it now. It never pays to wait…
What qualities do you look for in a friend? Loyalty, people who know you and still love you…., friends who can laugh with me, and I can laugh at myself; so a good sense of humor is a good quality to have. I also just love people.
Can you share a favorite childhood memory with us? I was very close to my grandmother, and I remember going to painting lessons with her and painting with her; and we would go on trips together. Because of her, I became motivated to make it a point to take each one of my grandkids on a trip of their choice at their graduation.
Some of your other favorites:
Music: I was raised on country music but love all music.
Singers/Performers: Keith Urban, he loves to entertain!
Movie: Steel Magnolias.
Book: Leading Ladies by Kay Bailey Hutchinson - I really enjoyed that.
Magazine you can’t live without: Travel magazines… I get 5280.
What is your favorite quote or motto? “Live the moment…” “Today’s the happiest day of your life… but you don’t know it until tomorrow.”
What is your greatest accomplishment? We moved around a lot as a family because of my husband’s job in the offshore drilling business, so I feel like I’ve had more than one life… I raised my kids overseas in countries like Scotland, Brazil, and Ireland, and I learned to become very flexible as we moved across the ocean. We lived somewhere for around 7 years, and then moved. I went to work for my brother, Dean Singleton, around 30 years ago helping him build a media empire. That was an accomplishment.
What do you still want to accomplish? I have been fortunate to travel the world over, the only place I missed was Russia. I’ve been to Africa, Asia including Japan, Vietnam, etc., so a dear friend that lives overseas who was originally from Argentina and I are talking about going to Argentina this year – or next. I probably will be going back to Luxenberg also. This is the time in my life to still travel.
What do you want people to know about you? I have a strong faith in God, have grown up with that… our father was a deacon in the Baptist Church and that has guided me through life. I love people; and I can pretty much deal with anything life brings me!
How do you want to be remembered? That I made a difference in the lives of others through philanthropic work.
(Patricia's charity work: VOA, Taps, Rocky Mountain MS Society, Bessie's Hope, National Sports Center for the Disabled, Children's Diabetes Foundation, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, SaddleUp! Foundation, Arc Thrift Stores, Invisible Disabilities Foundation,Cancer League of Colorado, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, TKM Foundation (T. Kevin McNicholas), Cattle Baron's Ball, Star of Hope Missions, & Operations Rainbow.)
