Dorothy S. Robertson

Dorothy Starling Robertson, age 94, a survivor of the Great Depression and World War II, was born in Jacksonville, FL in 1925. She passed away on July 13, 2020 at her home on the city’s west side. Dorothy attended Annie R. Morgan Elementary School, John Gorrie Junior High School, and Robert E. Lee High School. She earned her GED from Paxon High School while working as an operator at Southern Bell Co. and trained as a bookkeeper at Lovett Steamship Co. She worked for Seaboard Coastline Credit Union for 18 years and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

She met her husband, James Arnold Robertson, in elementary school and married him just before he was sent off to war in 1943. After years of working and raising their six children in Jacksonville, Jim and Dot, as they were known to their friends, retired to their home on Lake Lily in Melrose, FL in 1983. They celebrated 61 years of marriage before James passed away in 2004.

Known to many as a generous, honest, and caring woman, Dorothy was the undisputed and beloved matriarch of the large Robertson family. She was very involved in her children’s lives, volunteered for the PTA, enjoyed genealogy, cooking, canning, and was a master of the “home arts”.

Dorothy joins her husband, James Arnold Robertson; her father, William Roland Starling; and her mother, Hermie Elizabeth Norton. She is survived by her six children Patricia Ann Fowler (Charles), James Wylan Robertson (Susan), Karen Suzanne Rinker-Kirkpatrick (Edward), Royce Ramsay Robertson (Melinda), Robert Nathaniel Robertson (Leslie), and Cheryl Annette Croft (James); her 15 grandchildren Cyndi Cook (Paul), Charles Fowler, Andrea Brasher, Erin Belk (Michael), Kristina Rinker-Shepherd (Robert), Christopher Rinker, Jennifer Robertson, Sean Robertson, Amanda Shed (Morris), Richard Robertson, Melissa Watts (Zade), Sarah Slack (Eric), Joshua Robertson (Sara), Laura Croft, and James Croft (Rebecka) ; 32 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, July 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Riverside Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at Hardage-Giddens Riverside Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 7242 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32205.

In lieu of flowers, please designate memorial donations to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.