Obituary of Louis I. Robbins

Louis I. Robbins, 91, a resident of Augusta Center for Health & Rehabilitation, Augusta, Maine passed away on January 7, 2014, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. He formerly resided in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where he had lived for thirty years as the owner and resident artist of the Mad Hatter’s Tattoo Studio. He was born in Augusta, Maine, on December 13, 1922, and grew up on the Robbins Family Farm in Vassalboro, Maine, with his siblings Wallace, Gerald, and Marjorie. He attended schools in Vassalboro and Waterville, Maine, and graduated from Colburn Classical Institute. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a major in religious studies and also attended various culinary arts schools. Louis was predeceased by his son, Michael H. Robbins of Waterville, Maine; his step-granddaughter Jamie Lynn Veilleux of Old Town, Maine; his parents Maurice S. Robbins and Melvina Masse Robbins and his brother Gerald Robbins, all of Vassalboro, Maine. He is survived by the mother of his children, Lauretta Cummings Veilleux and her partner, Glendon Ellis of Augusta, Maine; his daughter, Cynthia E. Cote and her partner, Edwin Frye and granddaughter, Wendy Davis and her husband, Justin and great- grandsons, Dylan and Derek all of Waterville, Maine; his son, David M. Robbins and his wife, Rhea Cote and granddaughter, Bridget T. Robbins and great-grandson, Xerses O. Grant, all of Brewer, Maine; grandson, Benjamin J. Robbins and his wife, Jana and great-grandsons, Lucien and Ian, all of Seattle, Washington; and grandson, Jesse J. Robbins, of Waltham, Maine. Louis is survived by his step-son, Robert J. Veilleux, Jr. and his wife, Beverly and step-grandaughter, Renee Thibodeau and her husband, Thomas and step-greatgrandson, Hunter and step-great-granddaughter, Olivia, all of Old Town, Maine; step-son, Eric Veilleux and his wife, Cindy, of Waterville, Maine; and step-granddaughter, Shasta Pelotte and her husband, Jerad and step-great-granddaughters, Lyndsie and Isabelle and step-great-grandson, Jackson, all of Benton, Maine; step-graddaughter, Erika Veilleux and her partner, Danylle Pelletier of Winslow. He is also survived by his brother, Wallace Robbins and sister-in-law, Beverly Robbins of Brewer, Maine and their children and granddaughter; and by his sister, Marjorie Lalime of Damariscotta, Maine, and her children, granddaughters, and grandsons; and his sister-in-law, Maxine Robbins of Vassalboro, Maine and her children, granddaughters, and grandsons. Louis cherished and kept his independence during his lifetime, but he couldn’t prevent having an impact on many lives as the oldest of four children growing-up with lots of cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents both in Central Maine and Quebec, Canada; a woolen mill worker in Vassalboro, Maine before World War II; a medic in the U.S. Army during World War II working in frontline field hospitals; a certified meat cutter; as an owner of several restaurants in the Central Maine Area; a food service manager for several large food service corporations in New England, a certified motor cycle mechanic: a retail motor cycle salesman and business owner in China, Maine; and a licensed tattoo artist and tattoo studio owner in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He was the original Mad Hatter Tattoo Artist. He was most known as the producer of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, an international tattoo convention, which brought hundreds of people from Europe, Canada, and the United States to Portland, Maine in mid-February around Valentine’s Day. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was successfully held for nineteen years with Lou Robbins presiding. He ensured everyone enjoyed the various Tea Party activities that were planned at each convention. Louie, as he was known at the Augusta Center for Health & Rehabilitation, was very appreciative of his care he received from the staff during his stay at the Center. The family wishes to add their heartfelt thanks to the administration and staff as well. A spring internment and a private family ceremony will be held at Chadwick Hill Cemetery in China, Maine. Louis’s requested there not be any “fanfare” as he would say. To honor that request, those wishing to donate in his memory may do so at the National Parkinson Foundation online at http://www.parkinson.org/.