Thomas Henry Robertson

Thomas Henry Robertson August 6, 1935 - April 15, 2018 Thomas Henry Robertson, 82, died April 15 at home in Green Cove Springs, Fla. after a short illness. Tom was born in Cleveland, grew up in Rocky River, Westlake and graduated from Avon Lake High School where he was a member of the marching band. He had worked since he was 12 years old, starting his own lawn service in high school, and worked with his father at a Cleveland concrete company. After serving in the U.S. Army as a radio specialist in Germany, he was on the team that developed acoustic ceiling tile at Donn Products. He attended the police academy at Lorain County Community College and served on the Avon Police Department and then the Avon Lake Police Department (known as Robby) for 25 years. He was a member of the first Avon Lake Police Dive Team, part of the Marine Patrol, a motorcycle officer, and for a short time was the forensic photographer. He served as the Safety Town officer and retired at the rank of lieutenant of Avon Lake Police in May 1989. He was a great mentor to anyone he knew. Tom was an avid boater and fisherman on Lake Erie, and was a member of the local British car club – he and Carol could be seen touring around in their orange MG. After retiring to St. Augustine, Fla. he and his wife Carol found the mountains of North Carolina more suitable and moved to Franklin where he was president of the local photography club and volunteered at the Macon County Sheriff’s Department. A jack-of-all-trades, he loved tinkering with electronics, hiking, painting – there wasn’t a thing he couldn’t fix, and if the part was unavailable he made it. Tom is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol (Sanders); daughters, Gretchen (Daniel) Shimola of Avon, Tracy Robertson-Miller of Avon, Kelly Robertson of Fleming Island, Fla., and Lori (Tom) Buckhalter of St. Augustine; grandchildren, Jennifer, Blake, and Devin Shimola, Justin and Benjamin Miller, Sammy Chancy and Kristina and Emily Buckhalter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Gertrude (nee Lehocky) Robertson; sister, Eileen and brothers James and David. A private family memorial will be held later. Arrangements are under the care of St. Johns Family Funeral Home.