Obituaries

Jay Howard Robinson, a resident of Newport News, VA, for the past 35 years, peacefully passed on Friday, July 31, 2026, due to longstanding health issues.

Jay was born in Laconia, NH, on January 7, 1960, and grew up in Merrimack, NH, graduating from Merrimack High School in 1978. He attended Georgia Tech and the University of New Hampshire, earning a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1986. He then relocated to the Newport News area to attend a NASA Langley internship, and in 1990, he received his Master’s in Engineering at Old Dominion University.

Jay continued his employment with NASA Langley Research for 31 years before retiring in late 2021. During his tenure with NASA, Jay received numerous commendations and awards for his research and contributions.

Jay was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Robinson. He is survived by his mother, Hazel Lortie, his brothers, Tom and Karl, his nieces, Sarah and Shiloh, and his nephew, Kenneth, in addition to several aunts from both sides of his parental families.

A Memorial Service is scheduled to be held at Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Rd, Newport News, VA, on August 22 at 11:00 a.m.