William Powell Robertson

William Powell Robertson was born Aug. 6, 1932 to Venie and Gladys Robertson in Portales, N.M.

His family moved to Texas when he was young and he helped the family on the farm. As soon as he could he joined the Air Force for four years. When he got out of the Air Force, he and his brother went to North Dakota to work in the oil fields. There he met his wife of 60 years, Shirley Norstedt. She was born and raised around Stanley, N.D. They met June 2, Bill proposed on July 4 and they were married Aug. 6, 1956. They had their first son, Steven, and Shirley was pregnant with twins, Timothy and Terri Anne, when Bill joined the Navy in 1958. The family moved to California while in the Navy.

After Bill was honorably discharged from the Navy the family moved to Texas and decided it wasn’t for them. They moved back to North Dakota and had another son, Wayne. Bill heard of work opportunities in a town called Libby. On Jan. 9, 1963 he moved his family to Libby and started working at the mill Jan. 10. He worked there for 31 years. The family bought a home in the fall of 1964 and had another son, Warren. The family quickly outgrew the 3-bedroom 1-bathroom house, so Bill jacked the house up and built a basement adding more rooms. They lived in that house for 50 years. Bill was a very hard working, simple family man. He had four boys and one girl that had him wrapped around his finger.

Later on when the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren came, his love for his family grew. Looking back at pictures of him now, he always had a child in his arms with a smile.

Carpentry work was another pastime for Bill. He helped his children with their homes as needed as well as every Habitat home in Libby starting with the first until he left Libby in 2014. Bill was officially diagnosed with dementia June 2014.

Bill and Shirley sold their home in Libby and moved to Rathdrum, Idaho, to be closer to family. Bill moved into Generations Assisted Living and Wellness where he jumped into work wherever he could, whether it was raking leaves or washing dishes. Unfortunately with dementia, he progressed and was well taken care of until he passed away peacefully with Shirley by his side on Oct. 15, 2016.

Bill had numerous family members that were born to him by blood and gained through marriages. He loved everyone that joined the family. He had a kind heart and was a good man. Bill was preceded in death by his parents as well as his sister, Mary, and brothers, Gerald, Ray and Dale.

Bill was actively involved with the Christ Lutheran Church of Libby for many years and then became a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Rathdrum. Services will be held on Nov. 4 at SOTH with a burial to be scheduled next summer in Libby.

Please sign William Robertson’s registry and view his online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.