Reuben Boyd Robertson

Reuben Boyd Robertson passed away peacefully with grace and comfort on Tuesday morning, January 23, 2018, at his home in Austin, Texas. Previously, his wife of 71 years, Jane Claire Robertson passed away on May 7, 2014. Reuben Boyd Robertson is survived by his daughters, Mary Lynn Jackson and Ann Robertson; his sons, Philip Robertson, John Robertson and his wife Nancy Lynn Fletcher, Paul Robertson and his wife Angela Robertson; as well as his grandchildren, Sean, Andrea, Amani, Vanessa, Daniel, Isaac, Eric, Tanya, Cecily, Jacqueline, Ethan, and Wiley; and fifteen great-grandchildren, mourn the loss of their loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Previously deceased but in loving memory are his son David Boyd, and his daughter, Carolina.

Reuben Boyd Robertson was born February 24, 1922, in Harmon County, Oklahoma. His parents were Reuben Boyd Robertson and Jewel McCarty Robertson. Mr. Robertson was the eldest of four siblings, his sisters LaDeane Moore and Marilyn Stewart, and brother James M. Robertson (deceased).

Mr. Robertson was schooled in Oklahoma. He attended and graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1944, and later, from Southwestern Theological Seminary. Mr. Robertson met his loving wife, Jane Claire, while attending Hardin-Simmons University. They were married on December 23, 1942, at the First Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas.

In 1950, Reuben Boyd and Jane were appointed to serve in Argentina, by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and after a year of Spanish Language study in Costa Rica, they adopted Argentina as their home. Their four youngest children were born there in Godoy Cruz, Mendoza province. In 1965 they moved to Chiapas, Mexico, where they spent nearly five years of mission service.

After resigning from the Board in 1970 and coming back to the States, Boyd was accepted to do two years of Clinical Pastoral Education Study at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri and Osawatomie State Psychiatric Hospital in Kansas. Then in 1971 he was hired by United parcel Service as a Consultant in National Personnel, in New York and Chicago. In 1972, UPS hired him as Chaplain Employee Assistance Director and Counselor for the Metro Chicago District. He served in this job until 1985, when he retired, with Jane, to Knifley, Kentucky. Jane’s mother, Cecile Meskimen, lived there with them where they raised turkey and cattle.

That was his first retirement! After thirteen years in Kentucky, Boyd and Jane decided to return to her native state, Texas. They settled in the hill country of Lago Vista, where they lived for eight years. More recently, Austin had been their home.

Boyd was a founding member of the National Institute of Business and Industrial Chaplains (NIBIC). He was a lifetime 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, and was a member of the Ben Hur Shrine. Reuben Boyd had been a member of Highland Park Baptist Church since December 2000. Boyd was a “people person,” and though, in his latter years, his greatly impaired vision kept him from recognizing people, he always had a ready hand, hug, or joke. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were very special to him, and daily, in his prayers.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Friday, February 2, 2018, at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 3, 2018, at Highland Park Baptist Church located at 5206 Balcones Drive with Dr. Tim Noel and Rev. Cheryl Kimble offering the service. Reception will follow the memorial service at the church.

Memorial Donations may be made to American Bible Society.