Bagpipes were a part of William Thomas Robertson III's life,
so it's no wonder that an ensemble of pipes will be playing in
his honor at his funeral this weekend.
Robertson, known as Robbie to his bagpipe cohorts, died
Tuesday of complications from a heart attack. He was 65.
Born at the family's Indianapolis home on Christmas Day 1941,
he was the oldest of three children born to William Thomas
Robertson II and Katherine Spall Robertson.
Robertson began playing the bagpipes at a young age under the
tutelage of his father.
"My grandfather played, and Dad made a comment to my
grandfather one day that he wanted to play," Robertson's
daughter Jennifer said. "My grandfather sat him down at the
kitchen table and made him practice."
His first band experience was with a Boy Scout band in
Indianapolis. He quit playing until 1963 when he played with the
Gordon Pipes and the Indiana Scottish Pipe band, both in
Indianapolis.
Three years later he entered the U.S. Air Force and was sent
to Vietnam.
Soon after, Robertson asked his family to ship his bagpipes
to him in Vietnam.
After two stints in Vietnam, Robertson was stationed at Kelly
Air Force Base in San Antonio where he helped form four pipe
bands: the Alamo City Highlanders, the San Antonio Pipes &
Drums, the Black Bexar Pipe Band and the Alzafar Shrine
Highlanders.
Throughout his life, Robertson's hobby followed him.
"He played all over the place. He enjoyed playing. He enjoyed
doing it. He played at funerals, Dickens on the Strand, birthday
parties, Marine balls, weddings, church services and St.
Patrick's Day festivities," Jennifer Robertson said of her
father. "The pipes are used as a tool to celebrate life as well
as the memories that life brings us."
When Robertson moved to Houston in 1979, he teamed up with
the Houston Highlanders organization.
In 1983, he was asked to assist in forming a pipe band for
the Arabia Shrine Temple and continued as pipe major until the
dissolution of that band in 1995.
Most recently Robertson was serving as pipe sergeant of the
Houston Highlanders, as the official piper for the University of
Houston Downtown Criminal Justice Training Center, instructor
for the Houston Fire Department Pipes and Drums, and instructor
for the Galveston County Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums.
"If you named a tune, he would play it memorized," said Brian
Berlin, Kemah volunteer firefighter and member of the Galveston
County Fire Fighters Pipes and Drums. "He was so relaxed and at
ease when he played. He loved it. He really enjoyed himself when
he played."
Robertson taught 27 years in the Houston Independent School
District as a middle school history teacher and then a special
education teacher. He retired from his post as a special ed
teacher at Sharpstown High School in 1998.
Robertson is survived by his wife of 36 years, Nancy, of
Kingwood; two daughters, Jennifer and Jessica; and two sisters,
Mary Huntley, of Katy, and Kathy Lee, of Huntsville, Ala.
Viewing for Robertson is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. today at
Earthman Funeral Home at 6700 Ferris in Bellaire. Services are
set for 3 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with private burial
at the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery.
ruth . rendon @ chron . com
Upon his return stateside,
he was assigned to Kelley AFB, in San Antonio, Texas, and was asked by
locals to help in the formation of a pipe band there. The result
became the Alamo City Highlanders, and its 3 "children" -- the San Antonio
Pipes & Drums, the Black Bexar Pipe Band, and the Alzafar Shrine
Highlanders.
