Preston Woodyatt Robertson

Preston Robertson Accorded Last Rites

Funeral services were held Dec. 28 in the LDS Stake chapel for Preston Woodyatt Robertson, local businessman and former mayor. He passed away in North Big Horn hospital Thursday, Dec. 24.

Bishop Harris Asay conducted the funeral. Speakers were Bishop Rupert Kocherans and President Wilmer Nicholls. Musical numbers were provided by the Singing Mothers and a double mixed quartet. Mrs. Beverly Morrison Thomas was organist.

Pall bearers were C. Marlo Robertson, Snell Robertson, Haskell Jolley, Alex Winterholler, Garth Jolley and Goulding Johnson. Interment was in the Lovell cemetery.

Preston Woodyatt Robertson was born in Spanish Fork, Utah Sept. 15, 1899, the 14th child in a family of 15 born to John William and Lucy Hannah Snell Robertson. In 1900 the family moved to the Big Horn Basin, settling on a farm east of Lovell where they remained until 1917, when they moved to town.

Preston engaged in various occupations, garage work, butchering and others with his brothers. He attended the local schools, also the Big Horn Academy at Cowley from which he graduated. He served as an LDS missionary in the Northern States from 1922 to 1924.

Preston worked with his father and brother in the Robertson Implement Company, selling and servicing farm machinery. He bought C.B. Robertson's share of the company in 1932, and worked up a big business in selling feeds and John Deere farm machinery. He took his nephew in as a partner in 1950, and after four years sold out to Mark D. Robertson.

In 1933, he married Jessie Jolley in the Salt Lake City LDS temple.

Preston was active member of the LDS church, serving in numerous offices; Sunday school superintendent, MIA superintendent, president of the Quorum of Seventy, member of the High Priest Presidency, Stake High Council and Stake Missionary. He was an excellent classroom teacher and a fine scriptorian.

In passing, he leaves his widow; five sons, Philip W. of Cody, Jeffrey, an LDS missionary in Reymosa, Mex., Rick, Lance and Bruce of Lovell; a daughter, Mrs. Ron (Dixie) Moody of Cody; two brothers, Dr. J. Wesley of San Francisco, Calif. and C. Beck of Escondido, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. M.A. Jolley of Lovell; and five grandchildren.