Rob Roblin, WBAL-TV’s go-to reporter when the weather turned treacherous, died of a stroke Monday at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. The Towson resident was 79.
In his 45 years in Baltimore as a television reporter, he became a familiar face being hit with salt water at Ocean City jetties during a hurricane, or, until his 2014 retirement, doing folksy stand-up reports from snow banks and frozen highway shoulders. He was also a longtime presence at the annual Polar Bear Plunge.
“Rob Roblin was one of the friendliest persons I’ve ever known. He bore no judgment or ill will towards anyone. He loved his work and people loved him. We will miss his example of human caring,” U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume said in a statement.
Born in Toronto, he was the son of Robert Franklin Roblin and his wife, Annie Evelyn. His mother died when he was a child and his father settled in Mississippi and later, Alabama. Mr. Roblin was a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and started his career at WLBT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, as an anchor and reporter.
He had reporting posts in Mobile, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; San Francisco, Chicago; and Cincinnati.
He came to Baltimore’s WBAL-TV in the early 1970s and retired in 2014. He left the station several times, although his final tenure spanned 24 years.
“He often said, ‘I don’t know why they brought me back,’” said his son, Stephen Roblin.
His son said Mr. Roblin, who liked wearing funny hats during blizzards, wanted to tell the stories of everyday people.
“He didn’t gravitate to rich elites or politicians,” his son said. “He could be outspoken, opinionated, and he knew how to work a room. He liked being the center of attention, too.”
“Rob was a friend to everybody throughout our organization. He was a presence like no other,” said WBAL’s general manager, Dan Joerres. “On a dare, he went live one morning at the Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point. He went in the Chesapeake with his clothes on. It clicked, and the event went from a few people jumping in the Bay to thousands. He helped the Maryland Special Olympics so much.”
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Jim Schmutz, CEO of Special Olympics Maryland, said, “Rob was authentic and a great friend to our athletes. His presence at Sandy Point was a catalyst for us. He gave us more awareness and revenue.”
A visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home.
Survivors include his sons, Ablan Roblin, of Sacramento, California; Frank Roblin, of Towson, and Stephen Roblin, of Olney; a close family friend, Beau Kershaw, of Severna Park; a sister, Mary Maharrey, of St. Louis, Missouri; a companion, Terri Young, of Baltimore; and eight grandchildren. His wife of 40 years, Mary Panageotou, died in 2017. His marriage to Diane Petro ended in divorce.
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