Janet Robinson, volunteer, actress, assisted Taylor Caldwell

Janet Robinson, 86, of Snyder and Williamsville, died on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008 at Beechwood Continuing Care in Getzville.

Born in Buffalo, she graduated from Bennett High School and William Smith College, where she majored in English and theater.

She taught high school English in Central New York. She joined the Amherst Players in the early 1950s and acted with the group for several years. She helped organize Upstage New York, a regional theater support organization and was a member of the Studio Arena Theatre women's board.

After taking up tennis in the late 1960s, she helped operate the Buffalo Tennis Center.

She assisted novelist Taylor Caldwell with her business affairs. Through her extensive travels with the novelist, Mrs. Robinson developed contacts that led her to open a literary agency in Snyder.

Mrs. Robinson was a longtime member of the Buffalo Zoological Society board of directors and the women's board of Millard Fillmore Hospital. She was also a member of the Buffalo Skating Club, Buffalo Curling Club, Country Club of Buffalo, Twentieth Century Club and Garret Club.

Her husband of 56 years, Edward L. Robinson Jr., died in 2005. She is survived by two sons, Lawrence E. and Edward L. III, and one daughter, Laurie.

Services were held on Saturday, Feb. 2 at North Presbyterian Church in Amherst. Arrangements were made by Beach-Tuyn Funeral Home.