William Fitzgerald Robertson,

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA - William "Bill" Fitzgerald Robertson, Jr., 83, treasured father, "Granddaddy" and special "Tinker" to his beloved Clare, died Thursday evening, November 10, 2011, at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois.
Born Dec. 6, 1927 in Savannah to the late Bertha Blome Robertson and William F. Robertson, he was married to Clare Tharin Robertson for 60 years before she preceded him in death on June 30, 2010. A good, kind and generous man, he battled back from his own serious health issues to care for "his Clare," overcoming many obstacles to make sure she would be comfortable at home in her final years. That determined spirit marked his life from his Savannah High School days as captain of the 1945 football team and alternate captain on the basketball team to his much-loved days on Savannah golf links in his later years. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1950 with a degree in Industrial Management, working first at the Savannah Ice Delivery/Georgia Ice Company then holding management positions with national cold storage firms, including City Products, serving also on the Board of Directors of several regional and national associations. His job took his family to Columbus, Ohio; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Des Plaines, Illinois; and Overland Park, Kansas until he retired in 1992. He and his wife returned to Savannah in 1997 after five years in Duluth, Georgia, both loving the chance to enjoy old and new friends, to visit Tybee and to watch the ships come in. As his own health declined, he treasured his time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, listening to music, watching baseball, football and, especially, cheering on the Ramblin' Wreck of Georgia Tech. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter Suzanne and sister Mary (Bill - deceased) Connelly of Daytona Beach, Florida.
He is survived by a son, William. (Jody) Robertson III, of Tempe, Arizona; and daughters Amy (Gary) Mack of Algonquin, Illinois and Claire (David) Brucks of Suwanee, Georgia as well as grandchildren Billy (Mary) Robertson, Laura (Brian) Smith, Jenny (Jeff) MacBeard, Gary (Crystal) Mack, Phillip Brucks and Rachael Brucks; and, great-grandchildren Molly Mack, Ian and Luke Robertson and Jack Smith. He is also survived by sisters Betty (Harold - deceased) Thurber of Bakersfield, California and Cynthia (Bo) Russom of Savannah as well as many loved nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 o'clock Friday at Gamble Funeral Service - 410 Stephenson Avenue.
The funeral service will be held at 10 o'clock Saturday morning in the chapel of Gamble Funeral Service conducted by The Reverend James R. Morrow. Interment will be in Bonaventure Cemetery.
Remembrances: A charity of the donor's choice.