Obituary of Harland Robbins

Harland “Sonny” Harland, Jr. a retired Manufacturing Manager, Umpire, and Race Horse owner passed away after an unexpected illness on Thursday morning, April 24, 2014. He was 81 years old. Sonny was born in Cambridge, the son of the late Harland and Eva Robbins. He grew up and was educated in Billerica. He was a 1949 graduate of Billerica High School. He served in the Army as a corporal during the Korean War. He was the recipient of the Korean Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Infantry Badge. He loved sports and played Semi Pro Football for Billerica in his 20’s. He played adult softball for Monument Café, Hayes Stack House, and Gildart Chevrolet teams. Sonny was a passionate and born leader. Whenever he put his mind to something, he was determined to do it to the best of his ability. He had worked at Polaroid for 35 years. He started as a machine operator and worked his way up the ladder to become a Senior Manufacturing Manager. He was very well respected for his knowledge and abilities. He had several notable assignments with Polaroid including starting manufacturing plants in Scotland and Holland and the Mexico Voter Identification system, which was one of Polaroid’s biggest and more complicates endeavors. Sonny was a horse race enthusiast, but he went much further than most fans. He bought several horses which he raced mostly at Suffolk Downs. He even bred some of his horses on his brother’s farm. He was a member of the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association and then served on their Board of Directors. Sonny’s other great passion was for the game of baseball. For most, being a player or manager is their dream, but for Sonny it was being an umpire, but not any umpire, but one of the best knowledgeable umpire who would work tirelessly to preserve the rules of America’s biggest past time, Baseball. He started umpiring in 1959. Again, like everything Sonny took on, he wanted to be one of the best. He spent 17 years as a Massachusetts State Rules Interpreter. He wrote the umpire exam for 17 years. He served as President and Treasurer of the Eastern New England Umpires and Greater Lowell Umpires. He was the rules interpreter of the College Board Umpire Association and wrote the umpire exams for College umpires as well. When Sonny was umpiring a game, the managers knew it was hopeless to dispute a call, because who could argue with Sonny, the man who helped write the rule book. Sonny was the loving husband of 56 years to his loving wife Margaret “Peg” (Lawlor) Robbins. He was the loving father, mentor, and coach to his 3 sons; William of Chelmsford, Mark of Burlington and the late Harland D. “Bob” Robbins, III. He was the father-in-law of Michele of Chelmsford, Seta of Burlington and Jeannine Murphy of Stoneham. Grandfather of Elizabeth, Danielle & Eric Robbins. He was predeceased by his siblings; Marge Cheeney, Virginia Brown and William Robbins. He was the son of the late Harland and Eva Robbins and son-in-law of the late Catherine & James Lawlor. Funeral Services will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Monday, April 28 at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. Interment in Fox Hill Cemetery, Billerica. Memorials in Sonny’s name may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 150 Cambridge Park Drive, Suite 202, Cambridge, MA 02140 ww.woundedwarriorproject.org