Marie Smith Robertson was born on September 12, 1923 in Beggs, Oklahoma, to Claude and Anna Lee Martin Smith. She was the youngest of four children, Marvin, Melvin and Mildred. Marie died peacefully, with Whitey, Charley and Joy at her side, on Thursday, January 14th, 2016 at the age of 92.

Marie lost her father at a young age. After his death, Anna Lee moved the family to Dardanelle, Arkansas, where Marie attended school, eventually graduating from Dardanelle High School. Later she set her sights on higher learning and began taking classes at Arkansas Polytechnic College in Russellville, Arkansas.

One night, during a dance at the Dardanelle Armory that featured Bob Wells and the Texas Playboys, Marie met a young, handsome gentleman named Charles "Whitey" Robertson. Both knew at a glance that they'd met someone very special. They continued dating for a short time, until Whitey was called into service in the U.S. Army during WWII. Marie remained in Russellville, working clerical jobs while continuing to attend classes at Arkansas Tech.

Upon returning home after his service to his country, Whitey proposed marriage. Marie accepted and the two were married at the First United Methodist Church in Russellville, Arkansas. Whitey's sister and brother-in-law, Polly and Heartsill Bartlett, served as attendants. A short time later the couple headed off to Kansas City, where Whitey attended dental school at UMKC and Marie worked at Capitol Records to help pay Whitey's tuition. In 1950, the couple welcomed their fist child, Charles, Robertson, Jr, and moved to Russellville where Whitey began practicing dentistry. Fourteen years later, Marie decided it was time to have a daughter, so she painted a bedroom pink, and gave birth to Joy Ellen in June of 1964.

While raising her children, Marie devoted time and energy to several civic clubs, including P.E.O. Chapter BM and Russellville Culture Club, serving as a President of both organizations. She also taught Sunday School for several years alongside Wadena Lemley at First United Methodist Church. Always one to be involved in her children's education, she was an active member of Russellville PTA and the First United Methodist Church youth group, UMY. She also devoted plenty of 'Grandmommy' time to the couple's first grandchild, J.D. Robertson, who was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1979. Whitey continued practicing dentistry until he retired in 1985. Upon retirement, Whitey and Marie set out to travel together, taking long, wandering road trips and frequenting their favorite vacation spots like coastal New England, the Pacific Northwest and their home-away-from-home every Memorial and Labor Day holidays, Shangri La Resort in Mt. Ida, Arkansas.

In 2012, Whitey and Marie sold their Russellville home of 56 years and moved to Springfield, Missouri, to be closer to their youngest grandchildren, Ellen Marie and Audrey June Fountain.

She is survived by her husband, Charles "Whitey" Robertson; two children, Charles Robertson, Jr. and wife Deborah of Little Rock, AR, and daughter, Joy Robertson Fountain and husband Vernie Fountain of Springfield, MO. They couple has three grandchildren, J.D. Robertson and wife Audrey of Dallas, TX, and Ellen and Audrey Fountain of Springfield, MO. They also have two great-grandchildren, Hadley and Ford Robertson of Dallas, Texas.

The funeral service will be at 2:00 PM, Monday, January 18, 2016, at the First United Methodist Church – Chapel in Russellville, AR, with the Rev. Gail Brooks officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakland Cemetery under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until service time on Monday in the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Wesley Foundation in Russellville, Arkansas and/or the Alzheimer's Association of America. The family wishes to thank the administration and staff at The Manor at Elfindale in Springfield, Missouri for their skillful and loving care.