Donald L. Robins, 72, engineer, marketing aide

Donald L. "Rob" Robins, 72, of Blue Bell, a chemical engineer and marketing executive, died of heart disease Friday, Feb. 25, at Abington Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Robins graduated from Upper Dublin High School, where he was a 6-foot-8 athlete. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Muhlenberg College on a baseball and basketball scholarship. In 1957, he was featured in Sports Illustrated as an outstanding freshman basketball player. Several of his basketball records at Muhlenberg still stand, a son, Kevin, said.

Mr. Robins was offered a tryout with the Phillies and played semipro basketball while a research chemist at Merck.

After earning a bachelor's degree at night in chemical engineering from Drexel University, he joined Day & Zimmerman, an engineering firm, where he designed pharmaceutical plants. Later, he was a business development executive for Kling Partnership, Sverdrup Corp., and Raytheon Engineers & Constructors. He ended his career as vice president of marketing for Washington Group International in Princeton and continued to consult for the engineering firm after retiring four years ago.

Since 1960, Mr. Robins had been married to his college sweetheart, Patricia McDermott Robins. The couple enjoyed travel abroad and vacations at their summer home in Ocean City, N.J.

An avid bridge player and Phillies fan, Mr. Robins entertained people with humorous stories, his son said.

In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Robins is survived by daughters Lisa Smigla and Stephanie; a son, Jonathan; and eight grandchildren.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, at St. Helena Roman Catholic Church, 1489 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Friends may call from 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. John Neumann Cemetery, Chalfont.

Donations may be made to Community Housing Services, 311 N. Broad St., Lansdale, Pa. 19446.