Robin L. Smith, D.C.

We share, with profound sadness and joy in equal measure, the passing of Dr. Robin L. Smith, DC. on 7/30/2026 at the family home.  Sadness, that many are profoundly missing the multitude ways she lit up their lives.  Joy, that her suffering ended and she shed the burden of her body, weary from the fight with cancer, as her radiant soul moves onto the next life adventure.

Robin was born in Dixon, IL 09/02/1954 to Harold A. Smith and Martha R. (Brame) Smith, welcomed by Big Sis, Rebecca (Becky) R. Smith and followed by Little Sis, Norma K. (Smith) Osborne.  Her affinity for nature and wild spaces was evident early, relishing time on the Missouri farm of grandparents, Jerome A. Smith and Lucile A. (Deibel) Smith. She pulled on grandmother’s rubber boots and denim coat and went about collecting the chicken eggs, feeding the cows, weeding the garden, wandering the fields, appreciating the wildlife. The family had regular trips camping, canoeing, fishing, swimming, horse-back riding, and hiking through the great lakes, Midwest and Ozarks.  Vacation trips routinely included stops to visit with extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and was considered “the cool aunt” by many. She enjoyed the big Brame Family reunions, an annual tradition of over 50 years.  Cousin Cindy (McCorkle) Cherry started another tradition of girl cousins' reunion, which brought her family even closer.

She graduated from MATC, Milwaukee with an Associate of Science degree in accounting.  After graduation, she worked for Treeline Warehouse and later their partner Phoenix Steel Corporation, in Eau Claire, WI.  She enjoyed the challenge of organizing and making the work more efficient and the colleagues she called friends. She traveled with a ski club in both US and overseas which increased her circle of friends, maintained her physical strength and grace, and fulfilled her desire to travel.

A childhood sledding accident which caused back problems was her first encounter with chiropractic medicine. She took a big leap and moved to St. Louis to attend Logan University for a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine. While taking extra summer jobs to support her education, she worked for Goldman Sachs in New York, NY.  In addition to good pay, she acquired a close friend in Karen Charini, who would be her life-long travel companion. After graduation, she took a position with Atrium Health in St. Louis and was mentored and befriended by the practice founder, Dr. Joseph Unger, DC.  She went on to seek additional training in Sacral Occipital Technique (SOT) and explored many complementary and alternative medicine pathways: functional medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, Pilates, energy healing, herbalism. She used her drive, warm personality, and skilled techniques to build a strong practice.  She lent her healing energy to spread love and joy to all who crossed her path, truly believing and feeling that sending positive energy out in the world would make her more whole and happier, also.

Robin expressed her abundant creativity in sewing, dressmaking, knitting, crochet, drawing, painting, tie-dye, wood carving, jewelry making, leather working, stained glass, decorating. She always enjoyed growing things, edible or just beautiful, and was proud of her organic garden and the dozens of bird species it attracted. She was generous with her time, helping friends and family with home remodeling, decorating, cleaning, entertaining. She inherited the Brame Cooking gene, preparing delicious food as part of her love language. She was a consummate shopper and especially loved estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores.  She could find the truly, uniquely perfect gift for almost any person, any occasion, and did it all the time.  She was exceedingly generous with those close to her and to neighboring communities in trouble. 

Robin struggled with her health over many years, battling lymphoma with 4 occurrences, multiple lung infections and respiratory failure, followed by breast cancer which recurred in 2023.  During this time, she worked even harder to make her way forward with hope, joy and love.  She studied many sources of self-healing, self-awareness, and self-improvement. She met another life-long friend, Mark Muellerweiss, through her time in Sedona, AZ learning the Sedona Method and they continued their studies with regular phone calls, vital when she was home bound. She worked to be a person with positive energy enough to share with all, abundant and unending love and acceptance, free of judgment, curious, open and inquiring in mind.  In her last days, her close friends Tassie and Ron Seiler, Christi Castonguay, Vladimir Maslev and neighbors Max and Terry Neal were devoted to helping her stay in her own home as long as possible.  She came back “up north” to Wisconsin to spend her last days with support of Sisters Becky and Norma and her brother Jim Osborne.  She passed peacefully in the family home with help from ThedaCare Hospice team.

She is survived by her Sisters Rebecca Smith, Tucson, AZ, Norma K. Osborne and brother James Osborne, Appleton, WI, her Brame family Barbara Wright, Claudette and Gordon Metsker, Henry and Carol Brame, William and Julie Brame, Christopher Brame, Jennifer and Chris Cook, Glenda and Terry Rowlette, Charlotte Brame Carr and Tom Carr,  Margaret and Andy Procter, Carol and Bob Hagerty, Paul Cassels, Eddy Crouch, Joan Love, Linda More, Edward and Connie Burks, Nina and Ted Hinrichs, Matthew and Karen Burks, Michael and Elaine Burks, Teresa and John Tidwell, Sarah McCorkle Means and Robert Means, Elizabeth and Maurice Mims, Amanda and Kevin Logsdon, and a numerous descendants.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Martha Smith, and her wonderful aunts and uncles Ola May and Freddy Schneider, Henry and Hope Brame, Annabelle and Fielding Cassels, Rae and Katie McCorkle, William and Nan Brame, Eva and William More, Francis and Bonnie Burks, Elizabeth Mason, Cousins: Norvelle and Colleen Brown, Cindy McCorkle Cherry, Mark McCorkle, Philip McCorkle, Ted More, Anita More,Jeanette More, Colin More, Keith More.

In lieu of flowers, she directed memorial gifts to rainwater conservation at Water Bunds/Earth Smiles (justdiggit.org) and wild spaces preservation at The Nature Conservancy (nature.org).

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