Joe Robbie
| Joe Robbie | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 17, 1916 Sisseton, South Dakota, United States |
| Died | January 7, 1990 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
Northern State University University of South Dakota School of Law |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | First owner of the Miami Dolphins |
| Net worth | $100 million (at death) |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth, 1942-1990 (his death) |
| Children | 11 |
Joseph "Joe" Robbie (July 7, 1916 – January 7, 1990) was an American entrepreneur, politician and lawyer.
Robbie was raised in Sisseton, South Dakota, the second of five children. His father was a Lebanese immigrant and restaurant manager; his mother was a baker and the daughter of Irish immigrants. He was raised Catholic.
In 1934, during the Great Depression, Robbie dropped out of high school to work as a lumberjack for the Civilian Conservation Corps in the Black Hills, sending $25 of his $30 monthly earnings home to his family. After completing his high school education in 1936, Robbie enrolled at Northern State Teachers College on a debating scholarship. After three years, he transferred to the University of South Dakota. Robbie met his future wife, Elizabeth, while he was a senior at the school and she was a freshman. The couple was married two years later.
Robbie enlisted in the Navy on the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Robbie saw substantial action in the Pacific theater and was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. After his discharge, he used the G.I. Bill to return to South Dakota as a law student.
Following his graduation from law school, Robbie worked as a deputy state's attorney and a professor of economics at Dakota Wesleyan University. In 1948, at 33 years old, Robbie entered politics. He was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives as a Democrat. In 1950, he ran for Governor of South Dakota but lost to Sigurd Anderson. The following year, Robbie and his family moved to Minneapolis at the encouragement of then-mayor Hubert H. Humphrey.
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