Frank Robinson, the president and founder of Robinson Helicopter, on Friday hailed his late wife Barbara for helping put the Torrance company on the map.
"She was primarily responsible for building up our dealer network," Frank Robinson said from his vacation home in Washington State. "She handled marketing, sales, all of that."
Barbara Robinson died Aug. 13 at the age of 53, after a 12-year battle with breast cancer. She was buried Aug. 17 in a private ceremony.
She joined the helicopter company in an administrative position in 1978, and married Frank Robinson in 1983.
She marketed the company's helicopters, including the R22, which the FAA certificated to fly in 1979. That R22 provided the company with a steady income and gave it credibility in the industry as it developed larger aircraft.
Thanks in part to her efforts, Robinson Helicopter grew to become the world's largest maker of civilian helicopters, employing more than 1,000 people today.
Barbara Robinson retired in 1995 to spend more time with her two children Mark and Cindy.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, and eventually started raising money for researching the disease.
A few years ago, she separated from her husband and moved to Hermosa Beach.
Frank Robinson described her as having "a very, very nice personality."
"During most of the years of our marriage, we had a really good marriage, before the damn cancer became a primary factor," Frank Robinson said.
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