Kristopher Eugene Robinson

Kristopher Eugene Robinson 

The world lost a beacon of light and love on March 18, 2024, with the passing of Kris Eugene Robinson. He was born in South Bend, Indiana on May 15,1983, to Roselyn Ford Robinson and Eugene Robinson. 

Kris attended Holy Cross Elementary, where he started building a vast circle of friendships that he cultivated his whole life. He participated in sports and other social activities at school, getting involved in as many activities as he could.

As he grew up, he took that optimism, that fire and joy, and continued expanding his community at St. Joseph High School, graduating in 2001. He transitioned easily to Indiana University South Bend for college. He took a position in the School of the Arts Box Office, where he further cultivated his circle of “beautiful people.” Kris’s childlike magic and whimsy matured into what his friends now call “the Krisness,” which included his warm and deep voice, well-recognized laugh, and expansive hugs. 

Kris earned a degree in Psychology – the study of people – and worked as a full-time House Manager in the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts at IU South Bend for many years. He went on to become Assistant Director of Arts and Education at Saint Mary’s College, and then House Manager for DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame.

Kris met Sara Curtis on campus in 2001 and they married in 2014. They shared a love of sports, theatre, museums, the creative life, and enjoyed traveling together, including trips to Memphis and around the Great Lakes, by trains, planes, and automobiles. Kris participated in IU South Bend’s “Freedom Summer” trip to significant sites of the Civil Rights Movement, which spoke to his lifelong commitment to social justice, and his support for Indiana University South Bend. Kris served on the IU Alumni Association South Bend Region board. He also served on the Parish Council for Holy Cross School. 

Kris’s other interests included all things related to the Chicago Cubs and the Bears. His enthusiasm for sports added to his ever-expanding friendship circle. Kris’s introduction to theatre was through his employment, but it grew into a passion, fueling his longtime support for the Civic Theatre and regional theatres. He played an essential role in the IU South Bend productions of the Michiana Monologues and the Man-ologues, spoken word productions on the value of the human experience. He accompanied Sara to shows all over the region, enjoying both the performances and his knowledge of the production side of theatre. Kris was also an enthusiastic advocate for local restaurants, coordinating a dining group he organized through social media. He was well known for his Friday postings to his friends on social media, which always included the phrase, “Hello, Beautiful People!” and included frequent reminders to “Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.” 

Kris’s family includes his mother, his brother Kameron Robinson, and extended family all over the country. 

A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.Tuesday, March 26, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home in South Bend. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2024 in Holy Cross Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The IUSB Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment Fund, c/o IUSB Alumni, 1700 Mishawaka Avenue, P.O. Box 7111, South Bend, IN 46634-7111. Please make checks out to the: IU Foundation - with Kris Robinson’s name listed on the check memo line. 

As a longtime friend said of Kris’s passing, “It is a loss for all of us, because he was so very good at making us all feel special and cared for. It’s hard to imagine a world without him present. But I know he has an army of people willing to carry his “Krisness” onward.”

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