“Son” to one, “Bud” to some, and “Jim” to many, he was born in Marietta, Oklahoma, on March 5, 1929, to Eva and Al Robertson. After graduating from Colorado City High School in 1947, he attended The University of Texas at Austin, earning a BBA in accounting in 1951 and an LLB in law in 1953.
After graduation, Jim joined the Army during the Korean War and found himself stationed at Fort Bliss. After the war, Jim began working in accounting and business law for Alexander Grant (now Grant Thornton), Holly Corporation and maintained a private practice until he retired.
Jim joined Alexander Grant in the San Antonio office and moved to Dallas, where he was promoted to partner, serving as lead partner in the tax department. He also served on the Executive Committee. His professional organization memberships included the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, and the State Bar of Texas.
He was a member of the Grand Lodge of Texas as a Master Mason in Good Standing of Mitchell No.563, Colorado City, Texas, and a Brother and member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Valley of Dallas, Orient of Texas.
Jim’s passion for learning, knowledge, travel, and the Texas Longhorns was ever present. The simple response from him of “I am going to need a little more information” was a common answer to a prompt of opinion. When he was stationed at Fort Bliss, he was disappointed in not being called to Asia to see the world. Throughout his life, he spent many weekends following the Longhorn football team across our nation, and he enjoyed seeing the Horns baseball team in Austin.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Eva and Al Robertson, and his sisters, Jane Carpenter and Virginia Yarbrough. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Brett and Jenny Robertson, Laura Robertson, and Jana and Alex Peddie; his grandchildren James Robertson, Anna Robertson, Madelyn Robertson, and Connor Robertson; niece Christy Mittag; nephews Stephen Yarbrough and Louis Carpenter; and numerous other family members and friends.
Services for Jim will be held on Friday, July 28, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Highland Park United Methodist Church’s Cox Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, tribute donations may be made to the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center in memory of James W. Robertson.
Online: https://engage.utsouthwestern.edu/donate-now
(Please choose the designation “O’Donnell Brain Institute”)
