SUDBURY - Dorothy Joan Robins (D. Joan Robins), 
87, a resident of Sudbury for more than 45 
years, died at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in 
Burlington, on October 8, 2008.

She was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, to the late 
Arthur Lucius and Dorothy Irene Spafford (nee 
Somers). She was the widow of R. David Robins, 
also of Sherbrooke.

She lived in the U.S. for most of her adult 
life, but retained her Canadian identity and 
citizenship throughout. He favorite pastimes 
were knitting, needle-point, and cross-stitch.
Family members treasure her afghans, scarfs, 
mittens, and sweaters. She loved canoeing and 
always insisted on taking the stern, even at age 
86. She excelled in any endeavor; horseback 
riding and archery in her youth and bowling 
(ten-pin) and golf in her adult years. Joan is 
remembered by her friends, neighbors, and family 
as a hardy, humorous, delightful old woman who 

did not stop mowing her lawn and raking her 
leaves and shoveling her 
driveway until age 85. Only 4' 10" tall, she was 
a force of nature. At age 86, feeling the cold 
more than she used to, she turned her thermostat 
up to 60 degrees from 55. She lived in dependently, 
in her home, receiving assistance from her 
children only in her last year. 

Joan is survived by her son Jeff Robins; her son 
and his wife, Sat Guru (Ken) and Siri Tapa 
Khalsa; her daughter Beth Robins; her grandson 
and his wife, Sat Jiwan and Mimi Ikle-Khalsa; her 
granddaughter, Amrit Vela Khalsa; and her 
great-granddaughter, Kyah Sarina Ikle-Khalsa.

A gathering in memory of Joan will take place at 
a later date. Please call her son, Sat Guru 
Khalsa, at 508-298-9269 for more information. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to 
MSPCA in her memory.