William Robertson Obituary

William Joseph Robertson (Bill), 86, of Fairbanks, Alaska, died in the early morning of Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at home with his wife, Betsy, by his side to comfort him.

He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Jan. 12, 1936, the first son of Edmund Joseph and Rosa Dorothea (Runge) Robertson. The young family moved to Mitchell, South Dakota, home of the Corn Palace that Bill always mentioned with delight.

Bill began undergraduate studies at the University of South Dakota (USD) in Vermillion, and transferred to Carroll College in Helena, Montana. It was in Helena that he began his lifelong connection with fighting forest fires, first as a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lookout on Colorado Tower in Helena and then as a USFS smokejumper, trained in the Missoula Class of '57. In 1960, he finished his undergraduate studies with a major in biology and in English and spent one year in medical school at USD. He fought fires in Montana, Washington, Idaho and New Mexico.

In 1962, Bill arrived in Fairbanks by DC-3 aircraft as a smokejumper for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). He also enrolled at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) as a graduate student in parasite physiology, which included field work on George Lake, south of Delta.

Work for BLM became full time in 1965. He gave up his "den" in the grad room at UAF. A new student, Betsy Knobloch, from upstate New York state moved in. After the '67 flood, they bought high-and-dry land with a dry homestead cabin just past 10 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road and were married in January 1968.

Bill was one of the first engineer jumpers in the U.S., a small group trained to parachute out of helicopters to set survey monuments in remote areas for Alaska's land selection for statehood. He became a smokejumper loft foreman and a licensed Master Parachute Rigger. He could fix any sewing machine and construct anything in the loft. As a Master Rigger, he received special permission to repair Fairbanksan Stan Zielinski's hot air balloon. By 1967, Bill was chief of fire support, and in 1972, he became BLM chief of public affairs until his retirement in 1994. Bill made 192 parachute jumps with no injuries.

He enjoyed giving tours of Alaska to a number of secretaries of the interior, and he was one of the planners for the visit of Pope John Paul II and President Reagan in 1984, in charge of procuring vehicles and drivers (Betsy drove one) for the entourage of federal personnel that accompanied the President.

After three days of retirement from BLM, Bill stepped into the position of president/CEO of the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, where he worked until 1998; he continued to promote his favorite city.

Bill became a Rotarian in 1976 and was president of the Rotary Club of Fairbanks in 1996-97. In retirement, with his energy, attention to detail and love of Rotary, Bill continued to support his club in many ways as "executive secretary."

Bill was responsible for filling the time capsule located in the Noel Wien Library during the bicentennial celebration of the American Revolution. He wrote poems for the time capsule at Golden Heart Park and the newly constructed main gate of Clay Street Cemetery. He was instrumental in organizing funding for the gate through Rotary and in reorganizing the Clay Street Cemetery Commission to work on identifying grave sites and installing permanent granite markers. His interest in cemeteries and genealogy peaked when he found letters in his mother's South Dakota home from Great Uncle Francis Arthur Robertson. They were postmarked Chatanika, Alaska, 1926 and 1930. Frank had gone over the Chilkoot Trail from Dyea, lost all of his possessions in the Yukon, and finally arrived in Fairbanks. He worked as a cook in the Chatanika Gold Camp and also as a laborer in Nenana, building the new Alaska Railroad. He was a member of Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo No. 17, Nenana. In July 1996, Bill and Betsy hiked the Chilkoot in memory of Uncle Frank.

Bill loved running, curling and biking. He ran a number of local races, often bringing home a prize.

Training included running home from BLM in the summer, a trip of about 20 miles. He was a longtime member of the Fairbanks Curling Club, serving a term on the board of directors. Curling in an Inuvik bonspiel with a planeload of Fairbanks curlers was an unforgettable lark! Bicycle touring was the preferred vacation for Bill and Betsy. Three to five weeks each trip, they pedaled from Seattle to San Francisco, Houston to Miami, and around Kauai, Scotland and New Zealand, traveling on back roads when possible. Only one, Poland, was a group tour. Their preference remained to take time to enjoy the surroundings and think less about mileage.

Bill loved his homes on the hill. He enjoyed designing and building; there were always projects to complete; to his final days, he looked at and felt wood grain with special fondness.

Bill was predeceased by his parents and by his brother Robert Henry Robertson. Besides his wife, Betsy, Bill is survived by two daughters from a previous marriage, Diana Rose Lins and Katherine Anne Fantauzzi of California, and a granddaughter, Lana Lins.

There will be no memorial gathering, according to Bill's wishes. Instead, take time to read a good book, enjoy your favorite music - or go for a long bike ride in the sun.

Donations in Bill's memory can be made to:

• Rotary Club of Fairbanks, P.O. Box 72114, Fairbanks, AK 99707-2114: Rotary Pathway Playground.

• University of Alaska Foundation, P.O. Box 755080, Fairbanks, AK 99775: William J. and Betsy R. Robertson Scholarship Fund.

• National Smokejumper Association, c/o Chuck Sheley, 10 Judy Ln, Chico, CA 95926: NSA Good Samaritan/Scholarship Fund.

Online condolences may be made to the family at Blanchardfamilyfuneralhome.com.