Robert Cronig died at Windemere on Sept. 1 at the age of 90. Robbie would have been the first to appreciate the irony of leaving us on Labor Day, as he was known to all for his strong work ethic.

He was born in his family home on Centre street in Vineyard Haven across from the Hebrew Center on April 5, 1918, to Samuel and Libby Cronig. His parents were Lithuanian immigrants and were among the first families on Martha’s Vineyard to found the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.

The family business, Cronig’s Market, was started by his father and uncles in 1917. Robbie worked in the store as a young boy, and would tell stories of riding his bicycle through many neighborhoods to take grocery orders, and thereby learning a smattering of different languages. He left the Tisbury School in the eighth grade to work full-time in the market. He possessed an innate business sense and ability to deal with a variety of people at a young age.

He established the second Cronig’s Market on State Road with his brother David in 1976, and sold the market to Stephen Bernier in 1986.

In 1940, he married Elizabeth Turner of West Tisbury. They were happily married until her death in 1984. In 1988 he married Geraldine Davis Cronig, and they would have celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary next week.

He was the consummate father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who doted on his family and took enormous pleasure in making them happy.

He was a lifetime member of the Oriental Martha’s Vineyard Masonic Lodge and also of the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.

Besides his widow, he is survived by two daughters, Nancy Morris and her husband Joseph KrautKramer, and Judith Cronig; grandchildren Dana Morris, Darren Morris and his wife Meaghan, Kimberly Morris-Wadleigh and her husband Trip, Stacey Morris Porterfield and her husband Christopher, Elizabeth Barnes Lazerus and her husband Randy and Michael Barnes and his wife Alisha. He is also survived by Kathleen Sollitto and her husband Joseph, Charles Davis and his wife Norma and Mark Davis and his wife Carola, Elizabeth Vernon and her husband Jeffrey, Kara Taylor, Cole and Martha Davis, Sara Cupp and Aaron Davis, and 16 great-grandchildren from three months to 15 years old. He is also survived by his brothers Carlyle and David and his sister Ruth Stiller. He was predeceased by his sister Anne and his son in law John S. Morris.

A memorial service will be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Cemetery on Friday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Camp Jabberwocky, P.O. Box 1357, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.