William Charles Robertson

William Charles Robertson, 79, of San Marino, CA passed away surrounded by his loving family in Pasadena, CA on May 11, 2023. A Mississippi boy at heart with Californian leanings, he was known as Billy, BR, Bill, and Papí to friends and family across the country. He will be so very missed by everyone who knew him.

Bill was born on January 14, 1944 to Elizabeth Allen Robertson and William Norman Robertson, Jr. in Jackson, MS. His family, friends, and community greatly impacted his views of right and wrong, his endless love of learning, and his charmingly disarming sense of humor. He was proud of his roots and loved his mother and brother Jimmy dearly.

After attending Provine High School, he studied music at the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of North Texas and played flute for the 41st Army Band of the Mississippi National Guard during college. In 1962, he met the love of his life, Peggy Tutor, eventually following her across the country to California, where he felt a deep connection to the culture and geographic wonders there. Bill and Peggy built a rich life together, raising two children, Alyssa Robertson-Gleaner and Nicholas Robertson, attending Calvary Presbyterian Church in South Pasadena, cheering on the kids’ Saturday morning soccer games, enjoying 4th of July festivities at Lacy Park, and traveling across the country regularly to visit family in Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Connecticut. In retirement, they spent countless Sunday afternoons attending concerts and plays together across the L.A. basin and wandering the Huntington Gardens. They loved traveling together and visited Europe three times and Japan twice. They visited their children and grandchildren in New Jersey and New York regularly. Becoming a grandparent suited Bill very well, and he excelled at finding gifts for his grandsons that would help further their interests, such as astronomy, cello, and art, and that just happened to align with his own interests.

After obtaining a computer science degree from California State University, Los Angeles, Bill spent most of his working life as a financial system analyst. However, Bill's true calling was music and art. He played the piano, the guitar, the bassoon, and the flute, composed orchestral works and film scores, studied jazz theory, and continually sought out new artists to add to his impressive vinyl and CD collections. He may have been the greatest life-long fan of Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, attending annual “Mahlerthons” in LA for nearly two decades, visiting his gravesite in Vienna, and attempting to convert his friends and family into fans as well.

Bill was a prolific photographer and visual artist. He loved taking his Bronica to Death Valley, Big Bear, and to the park for family pictures on a Sunday. He later found success in oil painting and watercolor, but was most often seen with a pen and sketchbook, creating ink drawings of people and the world around him. He had an uncanny knack of capturing the essence of his subjects with just a few lines and his work is treasured by those lucky enough to own it.

After retirement in 2011, he took up a second career as a college student, matriculating at Pasadena City College for art, cello, saxophone, computer graphics, jazz performance, animation, 3D design, and Russian and Japanese language lessons. He passed his love of music, among many other loves, to his children, and inspired others throughout his life to continue to challenge themselves with new pursuits.

Bill was a wonderful person, incredibly smart, with a wry sense of humor. He believed every person was deserving of dignity, gave to those in need whenever possible, and generously supported non-profits working toward environmental and social justice.

Bill is survived by his wife Peggy Tutor, daughter Alyssa Robertson-Gleaner (Edward Gleaner) and grandsons Jacob Gleaner and Brandon Gleaner of Moorestown, NJ; son Nicholas Robertson (Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz) of New York, NY; brother Jimmy Robertson of Jackson, MS, and their extended families. Bill was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth Allen Robertson and father William Norman Robertson, Jr.

The funeral will be held at Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson, MS on Saturday, May 20 at 10am. Visitation with the family will be held immediately before and after the funeral. Entombment plans to be determined.

Memorial donations may be made in Bill's name to the Coleman Chamber Music Association and Union Station Homeless Services, both in Pasadena, CA. The family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and assistance for Bill and his family over the past year.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.parkwayfuneralhomeridgeland.com for the Robertson family.