ROBERT FRANKLIN BRABHAM JR.

Robert Franklin Brabham Jr., known as Robin, 78, died quietly on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, under Hospice care at Brookdale Carriage Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, after several months of failing health. Born on July 25, 1946, in Sumter, he was the first child of Robert Franklin Brabham and Maude Inez White Brabham. He attended local public schools and graduated from Edmunds High School in Sumter in 1964. He earned his B.A. in French and History from Furman University in 1968, and a Master of Librarianship from Emory University in 1969. Robin joined the professional staff of Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina Charlotte in 1969. As an undergraduate at Furman, he had become interested in rare books, and in 1973 was named Atkins Library's first Special Collections librarian. Starting from the ground up, he spent the next 37 years developing a collection that included rare early editions of American literature, 18th and 19th century Black literature, children's literature, religion and theology, and Charlotte history. He was passionate about local history, and during a sabbatical leave, he earned a master's degree in history from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1977. He built an important collection of manuscripts documenting the history of the Charlotte region. Highlights include early Mecklenburg families, the Civil Rights Movement, city planning, architecture, stock car racing, politics and photographs. Robin retired from UNC Charlotte in 2010 at the rank of Professor Emeritus. Robin was an avid reader and book collector. He enjoyed baseball, restaurant dining, good Scotch, movies and BBC television series. He loved cats and they loved him. For years he researched an exhaustive genealogy of his family, and was delighted to discover that the home of an eight-times great-grandfather was still standing in Rouen, France, in 2015, and in use as a real estate office. Robin enjoyed travel, and went to India three times on study tours led by the late Professor Dan White of UNC Charlotte. He loved Britain and made several trips there, especially relishing used and rare book shops in London. In 1983 he attended a seminar on British libraries for American librarians at Oxford University, where his group of pub-crawling friends included Edla Holm, a librarian from Massachusetts. Robin and Edla kept in touch, and met again 14 years later at a seminar on Scottish libraries in Edinburgh. Robin and Edla were married in Sumter on Dec. 5, 1998, and made their home in Charlotte. Together they spent more time in Britain, and visited France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. Robin was a member of the Society of American Archivists; the Society of North Carolina Archivists; the Mecklenburg Historical Association (past president,) Olde Mecklenburg Genealogical Society; the Charlotte History Round Table; the Huguenot Society of South Carolina; and the Horace Williams Philosophy Discussion Group.
Robin is survived by his wife of 25 years Edla Holm Brabham; nephew, James H.("Jamie") Lacey III; nieces, Tiffany Miles, Jennifer Brabham McCracken, Sara Brabham Stuckey, Robin Lacey Brookshire, Rita Lacey Manley, and their children. In addition to his parents, Robin was preceded in death by his brother, Joseph Eugene ("Gene") Brabham, and sisters, Corinne Brabham Lacey and Gail Brabham Miles. A celebration of Robin's life will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at the Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that contributions in Robin's honor be made to his fund at UNC Charlotte, payable to the UNC Charlotte Foundation (Memo: Brabham Endowment for Special Collections) and mailed to UNC Charlotte Foundation, Office of University Development, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223. Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.