Obituary: Jesse Ray Robertson, Sr., July 8, 2012

Contributed by Brenda Scott Hines
Mar 2015
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The Observer/Enterprise, Coke County, TX - July 13, 2012

Jesse Ray Robertson, Sr., 87, passed away on Sunday, July 8, 2012, at 
his residence. He was surrounded by family and friends. Visitation was 
Wednesday, July 11, at Shaffer Pioneer on Sherwood Way in San Angelo, 
with the family present from 6 pm to 8 pm. A celebration of his life 
was held at 10:30 am Thursday, July 12, 2012, at the Robert Lee Baptist 
Church. Burial followed in Robert Lee Cemetery. Services were under the
direction of Shaffer Funeral Home.

Jesse was born on May 14, 1925, in Friendship Community on the north 
shores of present day Lake Spence to James Brantly Robertson and Arizona 
Cain Robertson. He enlisted in the United States Army on November 
9, 1943, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He served in the European Theater where 
he received numerous awards including two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. 
He was honorably discharged at Camp Shaffe, Arkansas. He returned to 
Odessa and began working in the oilfield. He married Betty Joe Thornton 
on September 10, 1948, in Odessa.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Thornton Robertson of the home; his 
children, Debra and J.B. Grayson of Giddings, and Jesse Ray, Jr. and 
Beverly of Rockport; one brother, Donald and Ruth Robertson of Robert Lee;
three sisters, Bonita and Kenneth Hester of San Angelo, Elaine Bennett of 
Arlington, and Billie and Winfred Talley of Cleburne; grandchildren, Lauri 
and Randy Herndon of San Angelo, Kristy and Patrick Brody of San Angelo, 
James and Julia Chadwick of Rockport, Jody Salinas of Rockport, and Jesse 
Robertson III of Minnesota; ten great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, 
Mary Robertson of Midland, LaRue Robertson of Lindsey, Oklahoma, Mary Lou 
Hodge of Carbon, and Lee Ona Gordon of Burkburnett; and numerous nieces 
and nephews.
 
After surviving World War II, he returned to the Permian Basin and began 
working in the oilfields. He started working for Cities Service Oil Co, 
in December, 1948. He remained with the company for almost forty-two years 
as they became CITGO and were purchased by Occidental Petroleum (OXY). 
He worked in fields near Odessa, Big Lake, Corpus Christi, Raymondville, 
Kingsville, and Rockport. While in Corpus, he spent a great deal of time 
offshore supervising the drilling of some of the first Gulf of Mexico deep 
sea wells. Jesse was recognized for his service to the petroleum industry 
and given a Petroleum Pioneer Award for being one of the original men 
working in the Texas oil fields. After retiring in 1989, he ranched for 
fourteen years in Coke County before moving to San Angelo.

Pallbearers were Don Woods, Steve Gordon, Rusty Herndon, James Chadwick, 
Doyle Robertson, and Douglas Robertson.

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