A Generous Man

Alas, the June issue of the All Point Bulletin informs us that Robin Lamb has died this month.  Robin is the man who provided Point Roberts with a small private airport where anyone who wanted to land a small enough plane could do so, thanks to Robin's generosity.

He was a life-long pilot, a kind and good-natured man, and a good Point Roberts' citizen.

I didn't know Robin particularly well.  I first met him maybe 4 years ago, I'd guess, when Ed was flying in and out of the little airport in a rental helicopter.  He'd drive over to Sumas or to Bellingham to pick up the helicopter, fly it over here, land at Robin's little airport, take friends up for a ride or photograph the PR coastline and eventually take the helicopter back to the mainland.

Robin was always at the airport on those occasions.  He'd come out and talk to whoever was around, mostly pleasantries of one sort or another, or airplane talk.  The first time I saw him at the airport, he came up to me (he already knew Ed from previous landings) and said, "You're Judy Ross, aren't you?  I read your blog every day.  It's great."  I guessed that he had recognized me from my picture here, but mostly I was just (like any writer) unduly pleased to hear kind things said about one's writing.  And we talked a little about writing regularly and what it was like.

Those were the kind of conversations we had.  I knew a little about his plans to have houses around the landing strip so people could live next to the airport just as people live around the perimeter of a golf course, but he only talked about those plans if I inquired of them.  Most it was just general talk about Point Roberts.  I'm sorry, now, that I never asked him what had inspired him to build a private airport and then give free access to anyone who came by with a plane small enough to land there.  Maintaining that kind of space is no small job, and he did if for all those who were able to use it.  How exceedingly kind of him.

I saw him last December at the Community Center and we talked about helicopter flying a bit and I noted that he was looking unusually thin.  But nothing beyond that.  And now he is gone: a man who made a generous gift to many of us and asked for nothing back as far as I can tell.

There are other people like that in Point Roberts.  If you know one (and you surely do), consider thanking them now instead of waiting until they're no longer here to be thanked.  Up to the stars, Robin: Thank you!