Charles Junior Robertson
Charles Junior Robertson, 96, died Sept. 4, 2023, at Brookdale Senior Living in Shawnee. He was born on March 28, 1927, to Charles Willis Robertson and Martha Emma (Sneed) Robertson, in their home in the rural farming community known as Cracker’s Neck in Hamilton County, Ill. He was the youngest of four brothers.
He attended a rural community school called Reid School through the eighth grade, before attending McLeansboro Township High School and graduated in May of 1945. Robertson received his draft notice while he was still a senior, but due to his good grades, he was allowed to graduate. Shortly after graduation, on June 7, he reported to Camp Robinson, Ark., to begin basic training in the United States Army. Upon completing basic training he married Norma June Irvin, whom he had dated in high school, in the chapel of Asbury Methodist Church, adjacent to Camp Robinson on Aug. 25, 1945.
On Nov. 11, 1945, he he left on a troop ship at LaHarve, France. From there, he traveled to Germany where he served as a Quartermaster in a cold storage plant in Frankfurt, Germany, for the remainder of his service, when he was honorably discharged. In 1947 he went to work for Flint Rigging. In 1953, he was hired by Shell Oil, a position he held for over 32 years.
During his 17 year marriage to Norma June Irvin they had two sons, Bradley Joel Robertson, born 1951, and Kevin Dale Robertson, born 1952. He and June divorced in 1962.
On Sept. 17, 1963, he married Wanda Mariline Smith in the home of Rev. Ray Wilkey, in Belle Rive, Illi. They had two children, Emily Carol, born in 1964, and Eric Lee, born in 1967.
Following his retirement in April of 1985, he worked briefly for Arbuckle Wilderness. After Arbuckle Wilderness, he went to work at the First Baptist Church in Davis as the custodian. He held that that position for about 13 years, working alongside Wanda, who for many years was the church secretary. Robertson worked with the Murray County Sheriff’s Office in 1999, helping move inmates to and from the visitation room. During this time, he also worked as a handyman at Bailey’s Glass in Sulphur.
Shortly after Wanda’s death in 2010, Robertson sold his house in Davis and moved in with his son Eric, in McLoud, where he resided until he made the decision to move into Brookdale Assisted Living on May 28, 2015, where he lived until his passing.
He is survived by his son Bradley of Peoria, Ariz., daughter Emily Gollaher of Hendricks, Minn., son Eric of Shawnee, daughter–in-law Cathy Hall of Boise, Idaho, sister-in-law Phyliss Ratliff and her husband Bill Schnettgoechke of Wentzville, Mo., and sister-in-law Juanita Robertson of McLeansboro, Ill. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, four nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
Graveside services, with military honors will held at Greenhill Cemetery, Davis on (today) Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 at 2 p.m., Brother Rick McQueen of Shawnee Baptist Church, where Charles was a charter member, officiating. Services are entrusted to Resthaven Funeral Home of Shawnee.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.resthavenfh.com for the Robertson family.
