June 03, 1933 - March 09, 2013
ROBERTSON, Robert James (Age 79) Born the eldest of two sons June 3, 1933 in Spokane, of Salvation Army officer parents and Deep Creek and Rathdrum pioneer stock, Bob was a man with a firm sense of decency. He picked up a taste for adventure from family experiences gold prospecting, organizing the Lidgerwood Boys Club, and working construction around the West. Bob captained the basketball team and presidented the student body at Rogers High School. He married his sweetheart Theresa (Ann) Griffiths in 1953. Bob started his education degree at WSC, Pullman, and later finished with a Bachelor's at Alaska Methodist University. After a creatively served US Army stint in Japan, in which he claimed to have discovered every opportunity to avoid KP, he moved to Alaska Territory to work construction for Uncle Percy. Bob, his parents, brother Lloyd, their wives, and nine children under five years old drove the Alcan Highway in two trailers. Soon he joined the Alaska State Troopers, serving as dispatcher, trooper then both developer and lead trainer at the new Training Academy until 1968. His posts ranged from Anchorage and Eagle River to Juneau and Kenai--with calls to seemingly every remote village. Bob penned his colorful adventures in a treasured book of humorous reminiscences. From 1968 to 1995 he was a judge (hearing examiner) with the Washington DMV. In his spare time he organized the Willard School penny carnival, backpacked, and ran Bloomsday. In retirement, he traveled the world with Ann, cruising to all seven continents; skydove; hot-air ballooned; soared; ziplined and painted beautifully. Bob joined the Westerners in the 1950s and became a scholar of Gen. George Custer, participating in annual Custer Battlefield Historical Association meetings into the 2000s. Bob was preceded in death by father Floyd Alexander, mother Bonnie Mae, brother Lloyd and son Paul. He is survived by wife Ann, children Jim (Mary), John (Debbie), Mark (Moni), Sue, Denise (Mary Lynn), Dave (Annalisa) and Janet (Mike), grandchildren Ian, Ashley, Nick, Matt, Katie, Dashiell, Claire, Brandon, Tobias, Maud, Augie, Esme, India, Seth, Selah and Abigail, and great-grandchild Sherae
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