Bill Robertson

William (Bill) Creighton Robertson, age 80, passed away at his residence on Tuesday, December 31, 2019. Visitation will be at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church on Saturday evening, January 4, from 6pm until 8pm. Funeral service will be at Norwood Chapel on Sunday, January 5, at 2pm. The Rev. Mark Johnston will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Richelle Thompson. Graveside will be at the Robertson Family Cemetery immediately following the service.  Bill Robertson was born November 26, 1939 in Fayette and graduated from Fayette County High School in 1958. He attended Howard College (now Samford) for his freshman year before transferring to the University of Alabama, where he graduated in 1962 with a banking and finance degree. He then moved back to Fayette to work at the Citizens Bank of Fayette, which was founded by his grandfather in 1913, eventually becoming President and Chairman. Bill was highly devoted to the bank and to the ways it could serve people in need. He worked there for 55 years and then, even after retirement, continued going to the bank daily to assist as he was able. Bill was civic minded and community oriented. He was director of the Fayette Arts Council for over 20 years and was instrumental in bringing entertainment to the town of Fayette. He was the chairman of the industrial development board, treasurer of the civic center endowment board and served one term on the city council. He was also a member of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, where he served on the Vestry as Junior and Senior Warden, and he was chairman of the building committee for the existing church building built in 1982. Along with his civic duties, Bill was also very physically active. He was a multi-year county tennis champion, a marathon runner, and bicycled across the U.S. several times. His biggest active endeavor was probably walking. For more than 40 years Bill walked to work every day. Walking was his preferred method of transport and he walked most places in town. He said it took a good 10 years before people wouldn’t stop him to ask if he needed a ride. Often, he was followed by one of his many dogs. Bill loved pets and was always surround by his cats and dogs. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Henry Robertson, Jr and Evelyn Walker Robertson, and his brother, Thomas Henry Robertson, III. Active pallbearers will be James Blackburn, Skippy Hocutt, Hugh Blackwell, Skip Newman, Carlton Benton and Bob Mills. Honorary pallbearers will be the Officers and Employees of the Citizens Bank. Bill is survived by his wife of 55 years, Toni Smith Robertson; his son, Thomas (Tom) Henry Robertson IV; daughter, Susan Elizabeth Robertson; his grandchildren, Aleen Golla and Evelyn Golla; his cousins, Jim Walker Branyon, John Crichton Robertson, Catherine Lyons Robertson widow of Robert Henry Robertson, Michael England, and Martha England; sisters-in-law, June Smith Hope and Jill Smith Black; brother-in-law, James Hazen Smith; as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, two dogs and three cats. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to St. Michaels Episcopal Church (431 Tenth Street, NW, Fayette, AL 35555), Fayette Civic Center (530 Temple Avenue, Fayette, AL 35555) or Fayette County Memorial Library (326 Temple Avenue, Fayette, AL 35555).