Personal History of Beatrice Scott Robins (1921-2011)
(GEDCOM Data)
Early one morning, 9 Aug 1921, boy and girl twins were born to Charles and Lily Flayvillie Norton Scott in Pomerene, Chochise, Arizona. I, Beatrice, called Bea, was born first and was so quiet they could hardly tell I was alive. My twin brother, Bearl, a beautiful baby with dark curly hair, cried out strongly but then began to sink away. After four hours on this earth, his sweet little spirit returned to his Heavenly Father. It was a hard struggle for almost two months before I gained a firm hold on life but have been bless with abundant health and strength since.
Throughout my life, my mother reminded me that I needed to accomplish enough in this life to make up for the life of my twin who was not permitted to live. Looking back on the 65 years since that weak beginning, my life has been filled with volumes of experiences that can only be touched upon here.
My early life in Pomerene is vague to me. I was five years old when my father died and, therefore, remember very little about the years with him. I remember seeing him in the hospital, the day the news came of his death and his death and burial. The words he spoke to me in the hospital have always stayed with me, “Bea, always be a good girl.” The dying wish of my father.
The years between 1927 and 1932 brought many changes into my life. I was baptized; had an unforgettable traumatic tonsillectomy experience; broke my elbow which healed with a slight deformity and took months of diligent effort to regain the use of my elbow; my mother married Lorenz Hotnagl and we moved to Long Beach, California just before my 11th birthday.
During my teenage years, the struggle was tremendous as I reached out to gain my dreams. The Lord sent many people to help me along the path. The first came Mrs. Scott, a fourth grade teacher who helped my overcome a poor physical self-image which resulted in greater scholastic achievement, and I was skipped to the fifth grade. Then, there was Mrs. Parsell, a 7th grade Choir director, who recognized the quality in my voice and joined with my mother to make it possible for me to take voice lessons at age of 13.
My voice teachers were primarily with the schools, both at secondary and college levels. They included Joseph Ballentine, and William King Driggs (father of the King Sisters). I sang in many places: KTYL, Southwest Broadcasting Systems, KOMO Seattle, Northwest Broadcasting System and some community productions. I sang quite often with my sister, Grace, but was primarily a soloist and today at the age of 64, still sing on many occasions. One of the highlights of my singing career was to learn in Japanese the part of Suzuki in Madame Butterfly with my dear Japanese Opera star friend Kayo Ono, as Butterfly. She taught me. We sang the duet, “Flower Song” at a distinguished performances and concerts in Southern California.
On 2 June 1941, I married John (Jack) Lest Robins, my first love at 15 and the kind and loving companion of my dreams and the promise in my Patriarchal Blessing. We first met in a Youth Genealogical Training Class, which interest became a common bond that we have shared throughout the years and have been actively engaged in Genealogical Research as our time and assignments would permit. With my dear companion’s devotion and help, our common interests in music and genealogical research, coupled with our testimony of service in the Gopsel, together, we have realized more and more of the charished hopes and dreams of life.
During the years of World War II, our lives were constantly threatened every six months with ‘induction’ until finally in March 1956, Jack was drafted into the Army in spite of being over 30 and having two children. During these four years of war, we experienced the fear, personal sacrifice, uncertainty of war, MIA and KIA of many dear ones, loneliness in our separations, and rationing of commodities. Our faith throught it all made us stronger servants of God.
My desire for an education was realized in June 1952 when I graduated from Long Beach City College with a Graduate Medical Assistant’s Certificate and a 3.9 grade average. For a time I worked for a General Practitioner and continued my training with a course in X-Ray Techniques. Following this training, I had an enjoyable summer working for a great surgeon whose skills and techniques added much to my knowledge of the human body.
Because of the long hours required at that time in private practice assisting, I obtained a position at the Long Beach City Health Department, 22 Oct 1952, as a Laboratory Technican. This experience gave me an opportunity
