George T. Robertson, 100, of North Platte, passed away at Great Plains Health on June 30, 2015.
He was born November 20, 1914, in Dickson, TN to George C. and Esther (Thomas) Robertson, but the young family soon moved to a farm near his grandfather outside O’Neill, NE. The farm had no electricity or running water. George attended a one-room grade school near O’Neill, went to high school in town, and attended Hastings College. In 1932, after one year in college, he returned home to teach school and help his father farm, riding his horse 4.5 miles to school and back each day. He quit farming in 1934. He graduated from Hastings College in 1938 with a degree in history and math.
In 1939, George began working for the Farm Security Administration. The next year, at a dance, he met Marjorie Marie Morris, the woman with whom he would spend the next 72 years. They married on March 20, 1942, and would raise three daughters. After spending the early years of their marriage in Omaha and North Platte, George bought a car dealership in Benkelman, NE. In 1969, after 20 years in Benkelman, the family moved to North Platte. George worked for Gateway Realty in North Platte for 10 years before retiring. By then, he and Marjorie had sent all three daughters to college.
George and Marjorie bought an Airstream trailer and over the next years would travel 80,000 miles in the United States, Canada and Mexico with the trailer, often taking their grandchildren along, making friends wherever they would go. They also vacationed in the Caribbean and Hawaii, and traveled across Europe in a VW camper, brought it back to the US, and drove it in Alaska. They were avid bridge players, and George was known to play a hand of poker once in a while, too. He bought his first computer at age 80. He celebrated his 100th birthday at Linden Estates, where he lived after Marjorie died in 2010.
George and Marjorie were active in the Presbyterian Church in North Platte where George was an Elder. George was an active member of Rotary for many years, the Tehama Shrine Temple, and the Masonic Lodge #32 AF&AM. He was a Master Mason for 70 years.
His family and his many friends will remember him for his quick smile, straightforward honesty, generosity, sharp mind, and great good humor. He and Marjorie donated funds to their church, Rotary, the Masons, Mid-Plains Community College building project for health education, and more, and established scholarships at Hastings College and the UNL teacher’s college. One of George’s last requests was to have his daughter write a check on his account to make a donation he had in mind.
George was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Doris (Dick) Orth; and his wife, Marjorie.
He is survived by his daughters, Barbara Robertson (James Deen), of Mill Valley, California, Joan (Steve) Windrum, of Gothenburg, and Betty Robertson of Cincinnati; his grandchildren, Roman Windrum, of Omaha, and Carmen (Mike) Ackerman, of Gothenburg; and great-grandchildren, Hudson and Campbell Windrum and Amaya, Arissa, and Ian Ackerman; many nieces and nephews, cousins, his special friend Irene Kihlthau, and many more friends.
Services will be Friday, July 3, 2015. Burial will be at 11 a.m. in the Cozad Cemetery. The Memorial Service will be in North Platte at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1901 West Leota Street, with Pastor Polly Deppen-Williams officiating. A reception will follow.
Visitation will be Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with family present from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. followed by Masonic Rites at 7 p.m. at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore in North Platte. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the George T. and Marjorie M. Robertson Fund at Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation for the benefit of the Goodfellow Shoe Fund, the Presbyterian Church, or in George T. Robertson’s memory to the donor’s choice. Cards can be sent to the family in care of Joan Windrum, P. O. Box 3, Gothenburg, NE 69138.