Lee Robinson Gwynn

February 2, 1951 – October 25, 2026

Lee Robinson (“Robbie”) Gwynn, 75, of Fairhope, Alabama, passed away peacefully on October 25, 2026, surrounded by family and friends.

Robbie was born in Mobile and raised in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Following his marriage to Maria Wynne Gwynn, he made Fairhope his home, where he built a life centered around family, friendship, and an enduring love of the water.

From an early age, Mobile Bay captured his heart. He began his career with Warrior & Gulf Navigation as a deckhand on towboats and rose to become a pilot, navigating barges throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. He went on to serve with Scott Paper before retiring from Blessey Marine in Harahan, Louisiana. Over more than four decades on the water, Robbie took deep pride in his leadership and safety record; in all those years, not one crew member was injured under his watch.

In retirement, he fished, explored, and played host to anyone willing to get on a boat. He loved introducing people to the places that meant the most to him: the Magnolia River, the Cold Hole, Middle Bay Light, Gaillard Island, and Big Daddy’s Seafood Restaurant; and shared them with the enthusiasm of someone who never lost his sense of wonder. Robbie had a gift for a good story and an even better laugh, and no trip on the water was complete without both.

When Robbie married Maria, he embraced her love of animals as his own. Together they welcomed seven dogs and seven cats into their home over the years, every one of them cherished and treated as family.

More than anything, Robbie will be remembered for his generous spirit, his loyalty, and the particular joy he took in bringing people together. He made the world warmer and more interesting, and the waters he loved so much are a little quieter without him.

Robbie was preceded in death by his mother, Susananne Robinson; his father, Dr. Henry B. Gwynn; and his sisters, Bradley Goodyear Smith, Sister Susanne Marie Gwynn, and Patricia Pelham. He is survived by his beloved wife, Maria Wynne Gwynn; his daughter, Caroline Gwynn Walsh (Tom); his grandchildren, Catherine Listuon O’Brien (Baxter), Lee Robinson Walsh, and Thomas Brian Walsh, Jr.; his great-grandchild, Benjamin William O’Brien; his brother, Richard Bacon; his sister, Michelle Herrington (Brian); his nieces, Jeanette Smith Weldon (Bill) and Susanne Smith McAvoy (Matt); and his brother-in-law, Marion “Tut” Wynne, Jr.

The family will receive friends at Saint Lawrence Church in Fairhope on Friday, November 6, 2026, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. and a service at 11:00 a.m., followed by lunch. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Lawrence Church, 306 S. Section Street, Fairhope, AL 36532, or the Baldwin Humane Society, 22886C Highway 98, Fairhope, AL 36532.