Reina del Mar Parlor No. 126, Native Daughters of the Golden West, has selected Robin Emily Hill Cederlof to portray Saint Barbara, the city’s patron saint, during the 2017 Old Spanish Days Fiesta, a Fiesta tradition since 1926.
A fifth-generation Californian, Robin Emily Hill Cederlof was born in Santa Barbara and raised in Goleta, the daughter of the late Earl M. Hill and Rose Ann Fullerton Hill. Her father’s ancestor, George Washington Hill, settled on a 40-acre farm in Goleta near Fairview and Encina Avenues on July 4, 1874. He and his descendants grew lima beans, walnuts, and lemons. Earl Hill managed the farm and became Goleta’s first chiropractor.
The new Saint Barbara attended Goleta Valley Junior High School and Dos Pueblos High School. She holds a radiologic technology degree from Santa Barbara City College. Mrs. Cederlof has been involved with Fiesta activities since childhood. She participated in the children’s parade, performed with the Doris Smith Dance Studio, and at the age of 16 became a volunteer for Old Spanish Days, delivering posters, badges, and programs to sponsors after school. She has served 11 years as a marshal for the historical parade.