Joseph Taylor Robertson

Joseph Taylor Robertson passed into glory on June 30, 2023. He was born to Jack and Tassie (Moore) Robertson of Blytheville, Arkansas. Jack was a sharecropper, so more children meant less work. Jack and Tassie decided at the sixteenth child they had enough! Joe loved his large family, sparring with his brothers and taunting his sisters. Joe decided early on that farming was not his calling, so he began a career in retail. First selling sewing machines (which required learning how to sew), he eventually signed on for a thirty-year career with OTASCO (Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company). The company moved him to Jonesboro where he fell in love with his next-door neighbor, Jo Evelyn Disinger. After a short courtship, he married her and got a couple of teenage boys, Terry and Jim, as part of the package. Another promotion took the new family to Sikeston where a year later George was born. Yet another promotion called him to move his young family to Sheffield, Alabama, where Jim and George grew up (Terry was in college). He was a great father to the boys for the rest of his life. His impeccable character, unconditional love, tireless encouragement, positive attitude, patient listening, and indomitable sense of humor inspired his sons and daughters in law (Kristie, Judy, and Jackie). Those qualities also endeared his grandchildren to their Papa. Those grandchildren are Stacey Nelms, Taylor Robertson, Anna Robertson-Dillon, Abigail Robertson-Mata’afa, and Caroline Robertson. And nieces and nephews from Arkansas to Texas, Nevada to Pennsylvania, Alabama to Missouri adored their Uncle Joe T.

Adored by everyone who met him, Joe kept people entertained with his storytelling. He invented stories including characters like “Bessy May Sweat Belly, Ida Mae Girdle Bound, Jim the Goat, and George the Mule.” His impish sense of humor involved pranking his employees or luring the unsuspecting into arguments over irrelevant matters like which is the hottest pepper or what is the ideal height to cut grass. He could goad with his opinions on things like the “Commercial Appeal is the only trustworthy newspaper “or “ST37 will heal any ailment” or “Only agricultural colleges deserve to win football games” or “Real men only smoke full-sized cigars” and “Heat pumps never work.”  However, serving as the butt of his own jokes was his favorite way to lighten people’s hearts.

Joe excelled at his favorite past-times—napping and watching old westerns, or as he called them, “old kickers.” His hobbies were simple, but he loved them. As a younger man, he relished fishing with his sons and grandchildren, and especially hosting fish fries for friends. Until it was no longer safe to do so, he could never get enough of “piddlin” in his shop, cutting grass, and driving pick-up trucks. It was uncanny how he also became passionate about whatever his kids and grandkids were interested in at the time, whether it was knife collecting, car repair, woodworking, matchbox cars, or Barbie dolls.

While he always went to church, he became a serious follower of Jesus Christ after moving to Corinth, Mississippi, to take on a difficult assignment with OTASCO. By the faithful preaching of God’s Word at Christ United Methodist in Corinth and the TV ministry of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, he grew deeply in his faith. After retiring from Caterpillar in Corinth, Joe and Jo moved to Augusta, Georgia, to be near George’s family for several years. There they were members of First Presbyterian Church, and he grew even more dedicated to studying his Bible. His last church membership was at Kensett United Methodist Church where he and Jo enjoyed warm fellowship until they moved into Oakdale Nursing Facility. Joe finished his days at Oakdale where he was given great care and was loved and loved profoundly.

Joe’s family will celebrate his Homegoing at Sullivan Funeral Care in Kensett, Arkansas, on Friday, June 7, at 11am.