Alma Louise Robertson

May 25, 1927 – May 3, 2017

Alma Louise Robertson, 89, of Chivington, Colorado went to heaven to be with be her lord and beloved Roy on May 3, 2017 at her home.

May 25, 1927, Ira Lee and Katie May (Atteberry) Downs welcomed Alma Louise Downs into their family at the family home in the Rush Creek Colorado area. Alma was also welcomed by her siblings Basil, Verle, Helen, Velda, Buryl, Ralph (Rusty), Wayne, and Ruth.

Alma attended school at Rush Creek School until it closed and then she finished her education at Eads High School in May 1945 when she graduated.

During her senior year, she lived in Eads with her sister Velda Benner and family. On weekends Alma would go home for family time with her Mom and Rusty. It was during one of these visits that she met their new neighbor Roy L. Robertson. On April 25, 1948 in Clayton, New Mexico Alma and Roy were married. After a brief honeymoon, Roy and Alma returned to the Rush Creek area to make their home. During this time, Roy farmed and ranched while Alma drove the local children to school, worked in the school cafeteria and then drove the children back home after school.

August 25, 1949 Roy and Alma welcomed their first child, Jane (Janie) Louise into the family. In 1950, the family made a big decision and moved to the Sand Flat Ranch at Aragon, New Mexico where Roy ranched with his father.

In July 1951 Alma and Janie came back to stay with her mother and Rusty as she was expecting their second child and there were no doctors in the area of New Mexico where they lived. July 30, 1951 Howard Lee (Butch) Robertson made his appearance. When Butch was one month old, Roy came and took his family back to the ranch in New Mexico, where they remained until August 1955. That is when the family moved back to Eads and Janie started elementary school.

During this time Roy worked for Reyher Enterprises out of McClave, Colorado. At the end of school that year they moved to McClave where Roy continued working for Reyher’s and Alma was a homemaker.

During Christmas break of 1960 Roy moved his family back to the Chivington area where he had purchased a farm and ranch. Around June 1961 the family was given one more unexpected surprise. Alma was expecting their third child. January 24, 1962 Pamela Sue (Pamie) was born.

Roy and Alma remained in the same home until the death of Alma’s brother Rusty in July 1983. In October of that year Roy and Alma moved one final time, back to the home place where Alma was born and eventually passed away peacefully.

Alma’s pride and joy was her family, which had grown to include six grandkids and twelve great grandkids. She loved to have her family at her house cooking for them and enjoying family time together.

Alma was preceded in death by her loving husband Roy Robertson, her parents: Ira and Katie Downs and siblings Basil Downs, Verle Broadbooks, Helen Geary-Gardner, Velda Benner, Buryl Downs, Rusty Downs and Ruth Koch.

Alma is survived by her children: Janie (Tom) Swopes, Howard (Brenda) Robertson and Pamela (Rodney) Cole. Six Grandkids: Michelle (Richard) Koppelmann, Tommy (Darci) Swopes, Heath Robertson, Clint (Lani) Robertson, Lesa (Preston) Neugebauer and Dr. Vance Cole. Twelve Great Grandkids: Zachary Koppelmann, Joshua Koppelmann, Tylor Swopes, Kennedy Swopes, Colby Swopes, Claire and Cambrie Swopes and their mother Melissa Rushton-Swopes, Blake Robertson (Micah Crawford), Madison Robertson, Riley Robertson, Toryn Neugebauer and Laken Neugebauer and by Howard Robertson of Nara Vista, New Mexico, as well as by many other family and friends.

A funeral service celebrating Alma’s life was held May 8, at the Chivington Friends Church with Rev. Donald Brown officiating. Burial followed at the Eads Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Chivington Friends Church in care of Brown Funeral Home, PO Box 432, Eads, CO 81036-0432. 

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Helen Keller.

Arrangements were under the direction of Brown Funeral Home. Friends and family can sign the guestbook and register online condolences at www.brownfuneraldirectors.com.