Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 26, 1994 TAG: 9412270119
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Several hundred people turned out at the Salem Civic Center in October for a dinner and series of testimonials to show Robrecht that his life had made a big difference in the Roanoke Valley. At the time, Robrecht was unable to speak because of the disease of the nervous system that takes away the ability to talk and swallow.
Del. Richard Cranwell (D-Roanoke County), who served with Robrecht in the General Assembly, said Sunday that Robrecht had "a sharp mind. He wasn't afraid to be different."
Cranwell said they had worked together to represent Roanoke County, Salem and Vinton in a bipartisan spirit.
"He was a person of high principle and a person of extreme talent. It's a shame he didn't move on to higher office," Cranwell said.
Former Del. Steve Agee, who succeeded Robrecht in the House, said Robrecht was "my mentor going into politics and public life."
Robrecht, Agee said, "was best known as a fighter in the sense of having a strong sense of justice and fighting to see it came to be. He was a great figure."
Caldwell Butler, like Robrecht a lawyer and an early Republican leader in the Roanoke Valley, said Robrecht was "a valued friend, political and personal." He said Robrecht was respected in his profession and by his friends.
A native of Morristown, N.J., Robrecht was a graduate of Washington and Lee University and a cum laude graduate of its law school in 1962. He won the university's Algernon Sydney Sullivan medal for meritorious service.
During his student years, Robrecht fought 14 times as a middleweight amateur boxer and won every event. In those days, amateur boxing was a major sport that packed the National Guard Armory. Robrecht was twice the Virginia Golden Gloves middleweight champion in 1959 and 1962.
He continued in the ring as an amateur boxing referee during his years as a lawyer and as commonwealth's attorney.
After leaving law school, Robrecht served as a trial attorney with the U.S. Justice Department under an honors graduate program. He then returned to the Roanoke Valley to practice with a local law firm.
In November 1967, Robrecht as commonwealth's attorney, former Sheriff O.S. Foster and former court clerk Elizabeth Stokes swept into office as Republicans in long-Democratic Roanoke County. Their stunning victories convinced Democratic officeholders in Salem that they had lost control of the Roanoke County courthouse. Salem switched to city status Jan. 1, 1968.
Robrecht served as commonwealth's attorney for four years, earning a reputation as a vigorous prosecutor.
In 1971, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, along with Cranwell, representing the county, Salem and Vinton.
He was re-elected to four additional terms, working as an early supporter of child abuse laws, creation of a comprehensive transportation department and use of solid waste for fuel. He said at the time that his best accomplishment was revision of the annexation laws that largely eliminated court fights over the issue in Virginia.
In 1981, Robrecht stepped out of public life, declining to seek a new term even though news reports at the time said he would have been a "shoo-in" for re-election or could have had the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives.
A newspaper editorial at the time of his retirement from public life called Robrecht a "respected legislator" who was independent and whose integrity was never in doubt.
Robrecht continued his law practice in Salem and taught courses on labor law for Roanoke College and private industrial organizations.
At the time of his death, Robrecht was a member of the board of the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce. He was president of the Salem-Roanoke County Bar Association in 1973, and he won the Cave Spring Jaycees Distinguished Service Award in 1970.
Surviving are his wife, Nancy Lloyd Robrecht; two sons, Raymond Robert Robrecht III, Salem, and Alfred Lloyd Robrecht, St. Simons Island, Ga.; a daughter, Georgia Howard Robrecht, Salem; a brother, David Walter Robrecht, Milford, Pa.
John M. Oakey and Son Funeral Home, Salem, is handling arrangements.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Roanoke.
The family requests that memorials be made to the Discretionary Fund of First Baptist Church in Roanoke or to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 4502 Starkey Road #206, Roanoke, Va. 24014.
by CNB