Jill Ann Robinson

Jill Ann Robinson (née Wichser), age 81, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away on September 21, 2025.

Jill Ann was an avid photographer in her later years. She loved the Christmas season with a childlike wonder. The photo here is from a trip with her daughter, Jennifer, and son-in-law, Claudio, to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, during Thanksgiving week in 2024. The photo shows her with great joy and with her ever-present camera. She never met a stranger, and she will be missed by so many!

Jill Ann’s career was mainly about teaching children, and that was her great passion and joy. She was volunteering in the children’s program at Vineyard Church in Baton Rouge even during her last three years of life, including their summer camp. Her great love, positivity, and ability to meet people wherever they are, encourage them, and lift them up will be missed. Jill Ann also served as a paraprofessional at Hope Academy in Baton Rouge for many years, helping autistic and other disabled children at that private school without having to do all the paperwork at home that a classroom teacher does. Early on she taught at a Head Start in upstate New York. Her heart went out to everyone with great love. Jill Ann earned a Masters of Education with a focus on Early Childhood Education from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Science from Loyola University.

Jill Ann is survived by her partner, Bernard Gillette; former spouse, William Robinson; children, Jennifer Robinson Maique (and husband, Claudio Maique), Mark Robinson (and wife, Patricia Robinson), and Jonathan Robinson (and his former partner, Johanna von Kuczkowski); sisters, Eileen Wagar (and husband, Frank Wagar) and Marcella Hackney; brother, George Wichser (and his wife, Mary Ellen Grace Wichser); sister-in-law, Cindy Wichser (widow of her brother, Thomas Wichser); grandsons, Paul Burns and Jules Robinson; cousin, Kathleen Spitznagle (and her husband, Richard); nephew, Patrick Wichser; and so many other beloved family members. We are sorry we cannot name every single one! Jill Ann would have spent the time to say each person’s name if she were telling you in person. That is how she was.

Jill Ann is preceded in death by her parents, Celeste George and Lucille Eileen Wichser, her brother Thomas Wichser, her brother-in-law William Hackney, and her grandson Sheridan Burns.

There will be a memorial service the week of October 13th in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Date, location, and time are to be determined. Please hold the date of Saturday morning, October 18th, since that is what we are working to organize. There will be an option to attend online for those in international and out-of-state locations. Please message the family here to inquire if you would like to attend Jill Ann’s memorial service.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Autism Speaks in Jill Ann Robinson’s name.

The family of Jill Ann Robinson wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Pastor Allen Weathers from Vineyard Church Baton Rouge for his kind hospital visit and prayers, and for leading the wonderful Christian church community that Jill Ann enjoyed so much. Our sincere thanks also go out to all of the ICU staff at Ochsner Hospital on O’Neal along with Compassus Hospice for providing wonderful care and a way to let her pass away peacefully and with dignity in the same ICU bed where she was initially treated. We were told this was a new partnership for hospice. Well done! We are grateful she didn’t have to be moved to another facility.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com.