Richard Robertson

Richard Douglas Robertson, Sr.

Pearl Harbor Survivor

Put in Christmas by Krebs

Services have been scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Ballard Funeral Chapel for Richard D. Robertson, Sr., who passed away February 2, 2007, at a local nursing home. Rev. Archie Echols, Pastor of the First United Methodist Church will officiate. Masonic Rites and Military Honors by the Roswell Honor Guard will be given.

Richard known by a few as Robby and by many as Riccy Robertson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 21, 1923, just because his mother happened to be there at the time. He grew up in southwest Texas. When he was quite young, he moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to live with an uncle and he attended Nebraska, University.

He joined the United States Navy in 1940, trained in Great Lakes, Illinois, and was assigned to submarines stationed at Pearl Harbor about two weeks before the attack. He served on submarines four and a half years and on aircraft carriers during WWII and the Korean.

He served in the regular Navy for 12 years and the balance of 29 years in the Reserves. While in the Reserves, he was named as the New Mexico Reservist of the year and was nominated as Reservist of the USA. He was runner-up for that honor.

Because his five year old son was ill in Arlington, Texas most of the time, Ric thought his health would improve if they lived west of Texas. He was employed by LTV in Grand Prairie, Texas, where he was acknowledge as the best medal plater in the area. LTV had a plant in Roswell, so Riccy applied with them for employment. He was hired as their Control Manager. Then they closed and returned to Texas three months later. Riccy did not want to return to Texas with them, so he stayed in Roswell.

Mrs. Krebs took him to Germany and taught him the process and he returned to Roswell and put in the Christmas by Krebs plant. The water in Germany and Roswell being different, their formula would not work, so Riccy and the chemistry teacher at Roswell High School worked it out.

Riccy was a Major in the N.M. State Defense Force for three years, but at the insistence of his doctor he reluctantly resigned after his heart attack.

He worked for Fuqua Mobile Homes until they moved from Roswell. While with them, he was a designer and their sign-off engineer.

Riccy was one of the 20 men who formed the Submarine Veterans of World War several years ago. He served as President of that organization. Only two members of that group survive.

During this time he was very active in the Masonic Order and Eastern Star. He worked with the boys in DeMoley and was Rainbow dad for the Order of Rainbow for Girls. He served as Worthy Patron of Eastern Stars Roswell Chapter Number 10 and served on many of the Grand Chapters committees. He was a member of Roswell Lodge No. 18, Scottish Rite in Las Cruces, York Rite and Ballut Abyad Shrine, as well as Order of the Eastern Star Chapters Roswell No. 10 and Lake Arthur No. 24.

He and his wife Inez, met and married in two weeks and two days 52 years ago next March 5th. They, with their son, Riccy, Jr., moved to Roswell February 26, 1970.
PThey lived in town in Roswell for nine years, then they purchased five acres south of the airport. They lived in their 5th wheel for several months, then they bought a mobile home. They had a 5,000 roof put on it. It really did make it more comfortable inside-cooler in summer and warmer in winter. They built on a carport, built a building for their well, and built a 12 x 6 storage building. Finally, they had a 24x 48 concrete slab poured and, by themselves, built a three stall garage, work shop and office in it. They even hung the overhead garage doors. After the concrete conditioned, Riccy and Inez took a week vacation. Friday they made the four walls on the ground. As it happened their son and a friend in the Navy showe

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