Jeanne May Robertson

Jeanne May Robertson Obituary

Jeanne May Burton was born on June 22, 1928, in Everett, WA. She grew up in the small town of Sumner known for growing rhubarb, hops, and daffodils. Her parents Ralph and Margie owned a five and dime variety store there and worked very hard. The three of them lived in a tiny apartment above the store. Jeanne dreamed about living in a house with a front yard of green grass and a garden in the back. She possessed big brown eyes and perfectly straight brown hair, in deep contrast to the child movie star, Shirley Temple, with her golden curls and blue eyes, who was exactly her age. By the end of high school, Jeanne had matured into a very beautiful, accomplished young woman who had taken tap dance and piano lessons; loved to sketch and draw in pencil and ink, including illustrations in the school annual; was a princess in the Daffodil Royal Court that “waved” their way through the renowned Daffodil Festival and Parade; and worked part-time in a photo studio where she hand-colored black and white photos.

Not long after graduating from high school in 1946, Jeanne would marry the love of her life, Wayne Robertson, after he returned from service in the Navy during WWII. A few years later, they settled in Chula Vista where Jeanne’s American Dream came true when they purchased a house on 1135 Hilltop Drive where Jeanne and Wayne would raise their three daughters, twins Nancy and Wendy, and Becky. Jeanne immersed herself in cooking in the era of Betty Crocker and the introduction of frozen vegetables and frozen dinners, and kept the house immaculate. An upright piano appeared in the dining room and Jeanne started playing piano again -- a favorite of the family was her interpretation of “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

Jeanne was simply an extraordinary wife and mother. She was a wonderful grandmother after Becky and her husband Erick Erickson gave birth to their son, Alan, and then a great- grandmother to Alan and Ezaree’s two daughters, Emberlyn and Elyana. She loved the annual summer family vacations to Bishop at Parcher’s Camp, at 9,200 ft elevation in the Eastern Sierras, where all the family fished in Bishop Creek and South Lake. After Wayne retired, they traveled all over the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Jeanne could recount details and adventures about every trip they ever took.

Jeanne and Wayne lived in the Hilltop Drive house for 57 years, but in 2012 they decided it was time to move into Fredericka Manor, a full-service retirement community in Chula Vista. Together they enjoyed the fine dining, special events and meeting new friends; in addition, Jeanne took Spanish and was in a book discussion group and a drum circle, attended the weekly live music presentations, and cheered for the dart baseball team. She loved walking around the pond and knew every duck and turtle. In May, 2017, Jeanne and Wayne celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. After Wayne passed away in July, 2017, she continued on, still living independently in her Fredericka Manor cottage; however, slowly but surely her heart issues worsened. Jeanne was also a woman of strong faith and a long-time member of the Church of the Nazarene. She was ready to go home to heaven. On Monday, May 24, Jeanne died of heart complications at Kaiser Zion Hospital where she had been admitted the night before, with grandson Alan and his wife, Ezaree, at her side.

Jeanne Robertson is survived by daughter Wendy Robertson, daughter Nancy Robertson (Susan), son-in-law Lee Poyzer, grandson Alan Erickson (Ezaree), and great-grandchildren Emberlyn and Elyana. A graveside burial service will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery in San Diego on Saturday, June 5 at 12:00 pm.