BOZEMAN, Mont. – Robert L. “Bob” Robertson passed away on June 27, 2017 in Bozeman, Mont. He was 89 years old.
Bob was born on Nov. 11, 1927 in Kansas City, M. to Robert and Bessie Robertson. As a young boy, the family moved to Casper, where he attended McKinley Grade School. The family moved to Wichita, Kan., and Bob graduated in 1945 from Wichita East High School.
Bob enlisted in the Navy and served 14 months. Upon his discharge, he enrolled in Colorado College and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Banking in 1950. In 1962, he received a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from the University of Wyoming.
Bob’s teaching and coaching career began in Lander in 1950, where he taught math and was an assistant football and basketball coach. He also taught and coached at Encampment, Lingle, and Riverton before moving to Laramie, where he taught math and coached basketball and football at Laramie High School from 1960-1977.
At LHS, Bob was an assistant basketball coach under Bob Cook when the basketball team won back-to-back State AA championships in 1964 and 1965. In 1969, as head LHS basketball coach, Bob’s team won the regional and state AA championships.
As an assistant football coach under John Deti Sr., LHS won AA state football championships in 1962, 1964, 1969, and 1973. In 1968, Bob became interim head LHS football coach due to John Deti Sr.’s illness. Under Bob, LHS won the 1968 AA state football championship and he was awarded the 1968 Wyoming Coaches Association Football Coach of the Year.
When Bob retired from teaching in 1977, he continued to assist in coaching LHS football under John Deti Jr. until 1987. As an assistant under John Deti Jr., the LHS football team won the 4A state championship in 1984.
Bob enjoyed an active membership in the Wyoming Coaches Association and served as president from 1970-1971. He was inducted in the Wyoming Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1984.
Bob was inducted into the U.W. Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 as an assistant coach for the 1978-79 University of Wyoming Cowgirl basketball team under Margie McDonald.
Bob was preceded in death by Vonda, his wife of 60 years. He is survived by his two daughters, Janis Oja and Gail Brannan and four grandsons.
Graveside services will be held in Laramie at Greenhill Cemetery at 10 a.m. on July 21, 2017. Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
To send condolences or to sign the online guestbook go to www.montgomery
stryker.com.
