James Ray Robertson, 78, of Newcastle, passed away peacefully Tuesday evening April 11, 2023, at OU Medical Center.
Jim was born on June 26, 1944, in Seminole, Oklahoma. He was the eighth of nine children. His parents were Ortha Ray Robertson and Beatrice and Sidney Camp.
Jim grew up in Lindsay, Oklahoma, and was in the graduating class of 1962. At the age of 19, he enlisted into the United States Army National Guard and proudly served his country for 35 years, retiring as a CW4 in 1999.
Jim married the love of his life, Carolyn June Boney of Pauls Valley. They were married on October 22, 1965, in Pauls Valley, and together raised two daughters, Cindy and Ginger. Jim and Carolyn made their first home in the Oklahoma City area where Jim started working for Western Electric. He later worked for Greer Volkswagen before starting his own mechanic shop in Del City.
Jim started his second lifelong career in 1976 with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as the gunsmith. For 25 years Jim was a firearms instructor, loaded ammunition, repaired troopers’ firearms and custom built specialty weapons for numerous law enforcement agencies across the state.
Jim was a multi year “Governors 20” recipient and was inducted into the National Guard Marksmanship Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1996, Jim and Carolyn moved to Newcastle where he became a member of the Woodland Hills Baptist Church and he started his own gunsmith shop.
Jim was an avid outdoorsman. He loved hunting and fishing and also enjoyed gardening. He will be remembered as a wonderful husband, a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and a dear friend.
He was preceded in death by: parents, Ortha Robertson and Beatrice Camp; siblings, Dwight Woolington, Virginia Gramman, Troy Robertson, Carmelettia Menas, Carol Tucker, Clifford Robertson, and baby sister, Yvonne Robertson.
He is survived by: wife, Carolyn Robertson of the home in Newcastle; daughters, Cindy Tipton and husband Tim of Edmond, Ginger Griffin of Edmond; sister, Lynda Grant and Glenn Boyer of Edmond; brother-in-law, Michael Boney and wife Darcie of Pauls Valley; five grandchildren, Matthew Tipton and wife Mc-Kenzie of Fittstown, Oklahoma, Megan Sandefur and husband Taylor of Edmond, Cory Tipton and wife Marcy of Edmond, Morgan Griffin and Colton Lientz of Edmond, and McKenna Conant and husband Dakota of Oklahoma City; six great-grandchildren, Harper Smith, Sawyer Tipton, Harper and Hunter Tipton, Lucy Sandefur and Amara Lientz; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Monday, April 17, 2023, at Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Newcastle. Burial followed at Newcastle Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice. Send online condolences at www.wilsonlittle. com.
