Carrie Robinson, born in Anacortes on October 2, 1954 died on December 1, 2025 at the age of 71.  She passed away at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham from cardiac arrest.  Carrie is survived by her brother Ray Robinson and sister Roxan Robinson Kraft of Anacortes.

Carrie was a long term resident of both Anacortes and Oak Harbor.  She graduated from Anacortes High School in 1973 and stayed in town until age 30 before moving to Oak Harbor, where she lived independently for 39  years.  Her professions over those years included back room veterinarian support, attending to animals admitted to the clinic for care. This was a job she was ideally suited for because of her love and empathy for animals of all kinds.

For next 10 years she worked at the Greenhouse Nursery doing all sorts of things from preparing pots for planting to assisting in transplanting of nursery starts.  She was a highly valued employee and received employee recognition for her dedication and teamwork.  Her last job before retiring was at the Whidbey Playhouse where Carrie worked in the back office helping with paperwork and answering the phone.

Carrie also volunteered as a speaker and advocate for the mentally handicapped residents of Island County.  She was a keynote speaker at several community and government meetings, schools (elementary-high school) and colleges including Western Washington University.  She talked on topics such as: peer mentorship, life after graduation and the value and importance of employing mentally handicapped people.  Carrie's stories were published in numerous newsletters and a few newspapers along with a photo of her.  She was a bit of a celebrity.

Carrie learned to cook and could make a mean spaghetti, stir fry, and eggs anyway you'd like them (so long as they were scrambled).  Her favorite dessert was anything with CHOCOLATE!

Carrie was an amazing woman and loved by so many people.  She had a big heart for animals and an even bigger heart for her friends and family.  Carrie was fiercely loyal.  She had the best imagination and could spin clever stories.  She had a mischievous playful glint to her eye and surprisingly funny quick sense of humor.  Carrie was an artist and loved the use of colored ink pens and crayons.  Her favorite color was PINK, followed closely by purple.   She also loved music and dancing, especially rock-n-roll music of the 60's through the 80's; she knew nearly every word too!  In another life, we think Carrie must have been a weather girl.  She loved watching the weather, predicting the weather and learning about it.

Carrie's athletic endeavors included a lot of walking (that's how she would get to work), bowling, horseback riding and FISHING!  Carrie competed in the Special Olympics bowling throughout her life.  When she was younger she dabbled in horseback riding and spent years traveling to horse shows with her family.  She was a super fan always yelling with unbridled enthusiasm a reverberating "Yahoo!" throughout the arena when her sister won.

But Carrie's true passion was fishing.  She loved it and might have been considered a "fish whisperer".  She loved lake fishing, especially at Tiffany Resort on Lake Curlew.  For years she traveled there annually with family and friends to fish, most recently this past June with her family, roommates and caregivers.  Often she was the winner of the biggest trout caught!

Carrie hated to fly, but loved to travel.  As a youth she took a two month family cruise to Alaska on the family's boat.  She went frequently with her Mom and Dad on motorhome trips throughout the Western US and even to the baja of Mexico.  Many of these trips were, of course, to go FISHING!  Carrie also made trips to Houston and Louisiana to visit family.

Carrie had one true love in her life- Rob, her boyfriend of several years who preceded her in death.

Carrie had a big heart for others and a personality that filled a room.  She will be missed by so many.

In place of flowers, donations can be made to Special Olympics Washington noting that funds are to go to Skagit and Island Counties.

Link: https://support.specialolympics.org/a/give-in-your-state?gclsrc=aw.ds&&state=wa&sourceid=1041191&ms=google-washington&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=920111415&gbraid=0AAAAADwU9dQdDCssY__Q1Ghz1mYV7VEKB

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday December 14, 2025, at 2pm at the Residence of the Kraft Family - please contact Evans Funeral Chapel & Onsite Crematory for information and location, at 360-293-3311 or via email info@evanschapel.com