Herbert Preston Robertson was born in Easton, PA, on November 4, 1944, to Preston Breckinridge Robertson and Elizabeth Robertson (nee Hempe). A WWII baby, he was named after his maternal uncle, Herbert Hempe, an Army Air Corps (now called Air Force) bomber pilot shot down in the China theater, and his father, Preston, a Marine Master Sgt. serving in the South Pacific.

Herb died of Parkinson's disease at the age of 81. Herb is preceded in death by his parents, named above; his brother-in-law, Robert Lott; his nephew, Rastus Robertson Lott; and two cousins, Susan Kuzia and Joe Robertson. He is survived by his siblings: sister Anne Lott; sister Jessie Altman and her husband Jim Altman; sister Elizabeth Black; brother Marshall Robertson and his wife, Denise Robertson; nieces Levana Lott and her husband, Nate Reese, and Jennifer Cameron and her husband, Jim Cameron; and nephew John Altman and his husband, Liam Watson; along with extended family and friends.

Herb lived his early years in Easton, PA; Savannah, GA; and Grand Prairie, TX, and then most of the growing up years in Smyrna, GA. Herb had a high IQ, once assessed at 140. He was a good chess player and taught his sisters and younger brother the game and a couple of cousins also; however, they rarely beat him.

In his twenties, he settled in New Orleans, which became a place of great significance for him. He lived most of his adult years in New Orleans in the French Quarter. He survived the 2005 Hurricane Katrina.

During a time of difficulty, the compassion of a good priest and the fact that two of his idols, John and Robert Kennedy, were Catholic made him decide to become Catholic. He was 26 years old at the time.

In New Orleans, Herb served at St. Louis Cathedral as an altar assistant and was active at St. Patrick's Church in the French Quarter. He worked at local restaurants and property maintenance and had lasting connections in the community.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson's, Herb moved to Tacoma and lived with his sister, Anne. He remained devoted to his faith, attending Mass regularly and finding comfort and friendship within his church community. He held a special devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux, whose "little way" of quiet faith and small acts of love reflected the way Herb lived his own life.

His family extends heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers, nurses, and all the staff at Eliseo for the compassionate and good care they gave him in the final years of his life.

Burial will be at New Tacoma Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Catholic Community Services, Tacoma Rescue Mission, or The Michael J. Fox Foundation.