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“Those high fives from Pete — that’s what everybody remembers.”

Carolyn Stach's memories of Pete Robbins are like those of everybody else in Fort Gibson who knew the longtime custodian at the town's elementary school.

They all remember  Robbins' characteristic greeting to the children as they came into the building at the start of the school day.

"Every morning he stood at the door and gave every child a high five, a smile and a ‘good morning’ as they came through that door," said Stach, who this term is teaching her 34th first grade class at Fort Gibson.

Robbins died on Sept. 27 at the age of 89.

Mrs. Robbins was also employed by the Fort Gibson Schools for many years.

“His wife was a cook at the school cafeteria, and a very good cook," said Pat Orman, who works in the superintendent's office.

On the day his grandfather, an Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, was buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, grandson James R. Robbins and the extended family were at his grandparents' house.

The Fort Gibson address has been the senior Mr. and Mrs. Robbins’ home for the whole of their married life.

James Robbins said he spent many summers of his boyhood with his grandparents.

“They were married going on 70 years when my grandfather died,” he said.

Roger Shaw, now retired and living in Perkins, was a long-time principal at Fort Gibson School while Robbins worked there.

"Pete was the kind of guy who never met a stranger," Shaw said. "He knew every child in school. Every one of them had a nickname.

"My little girl wore a stocking cap to school in the winter with a Tootsie Roll on it. He called her the Tootsie Roll kid because of her cap.

"I can't ever remember his being absent. He was just a good guy. You don't meet many people like Pete.”

Nancy Williams works with Pat Orman in the superintendent's office, and graduated from high school in Fort Gibson in 1960.

She knew Robbins not only as a custodian.

"He didn't finish his high school education on time, so he came back (to school) and graduated with the class of 1960. I always admired him for that. He sat in class with us, and worked as a janitor before and after school.

"He was a treasure."

Cheryl Todd, a 1989 graduate of Fort Gibson High School, now lives in Olathe, Kan.

“Sometimes it is the people who seem to have a small part in our lives that make the biggest impact, and Pete was certainly one of those people,” Todd said. “He would still recognize you 30 years after you were in school. For many of us, he was our parents’ custodian, then ours, then our kids.

“My mom also worked at Fort Gibson Elementary, so I would always have to wait for her after school. Pete would always let me ‘help’ him after school. I’m pretty sure I was in the way more than I was a help, but he always made me feel like he couldn’t get his job done without me.”

Pete Robbins retired in 1985, so newer members of the faculty and administration did not know him.

But one wrote to Robbins' family after his death.

In a letter, superintendent Derald Glover paid tribute to Robbins.

“I regret that I was not here to work with Mr. Robbins and get to know him,” Glover wrote. “From all accounts it seems that he represented what is good about public education and those involved with it. He apparently did his job very well, and at the same time interacted with kids in a loving and nurturing manner.

“On behalf of the board of education and administration, we are honored that the family has chosen our auditorium for Mr. Robbins’ funeral.  Although he has been retired for some time, he is still remembered as one of our own."

Carolyn Stach attended Robbins’ funeral at the high school auditorium on Oct. 2.

She said that a framed image of an open hand, raised as for a “high five,” was displayed next to the casket during the service. The signatures of many school children were beneath the hand, a tribute given to Robbins during his career.

“It was out of appreciation of Pete and what he had done for the children,” Stach said.