Sally Eileen Robertson

On January 10, 2022, a cool Oklahoma day, Sally Robertson fell asleep and did not awake.  She left our lives with many sweet and thoughtful memories.  Sally Eileen Robertson was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Home of the Fightin' Chicks, to Gene and Ada Mayo on May 14, 1950. She was a happy child, and later, when sister Karen arrived, she became KK's hero and protector, then and forever.  Sally loved her summers in Powderhorn, Colorado, with grandparents Bonnie and Emmert Mayo.  Sally loved to sing, and Doris Day became a presence she would admire and enjoy her entire life.  Becoming a cheerleader in high school, spending time with friends, learning to drive the black Valiant, standard transmission....we spent quite an afternoon one day when she was unable to shift from 1st to 2nd without car stopping...!! , were bright, happy times.

Nothing could compare, however, to that minute she discovered true love.  Bill Robertson.  Despite parental disapproval (you're too young!), Sally and Bill, with the help in subterfuge by MeMe Venable, and basically everyone, dated Bill and married on August 16 following Sally's high school graduation. The couple lived in Chickasha (sharing a duplex with MeMe Venable), moved to Duncan, lived in Norman, Plano, Tulsa, back to Norman, happy and excited with each challenge.   Their lives together did not last long enough, but sharing the births of Gigi and Joe completed the story they had started.  Sally loved being a mom, and she shared that with Bill, who treasured being Gi and Joe's dad. They were involved with their kids, and rarely did you find an activity for Gi or Joe without the entire family being present!  This is the sweetness of family,  sharing and supporting.  When Bill died suddenly, life changed. The Robertsons held together, and both kids graduated from the University of Oklahoma, while Sally worked in education and later in the mortgage industry.  Sally especially loved her job in Tulsa where she felt energized by her young friends.  They involved her in their lives, and she benefited from their friendships.  

Sally and Bill were avid OU fans....they loved having family around to watch the games together, through the good and the not so.  Sally carried on this enthusiasm, and she participated by wearing her OU outfits to work and on gameday.  Despite her laughing at superstition, she has been known to change during a game to switch the direction of. action......and sometimes, it worked!!  In the last years of his life, Gene was so thankful that daughter Sally shared many weekends in Chickasha with him, watching the games and having some Pizza Hut supreme pizza.  As her dad aged, Sally was there to help in every way.  She lived in Chickasha for weeks nursing her dad. Because of her, Gene lived many more years, relishing his daily routine and television shows.  They talked daily, and when he passed away, she lost one of her best friends. 

Today, Gigi and Joe share their lives with their best friends.  Gigi and Darren Summers live in Dallas, Texas, and Darren loves to cook and golf with Luke, Gigi's son.  Joe and Lisa Robertson live in Norman.  They have to work hard to keep up with Elle and Liam.  Sally talked often about how much she enjoyed her grandchildren, Luke Smallwood. and Elle and Liam Robertson. She loved talking to Luke on the phone, and often mentioned how capable Elle was at being the best big sister.  Liam had a certain smile, she said, showing a little bit of his dad's look.  Sally couldn’t keep up with the grandkids’ activities!  She enjoyed Elle on the stage and the soccer field, appreciating that Elle was a performer and an athlete.  Liam followed his big sister into soccer and picked up lacrosse as another field sport!  Luke is a talented golfer and football player, loves all things OU like his Mimi.  Being a Mimi was very important to Sally.   Having recently moved from Tulsa back to Norman, Sally was happy to reunite with her Norman friends and was getting used to being back in a familiar but different town.  

These few words cannot adequately describe the sadness we feel about losing our sister, mother, friend.  The outpouring of love, however, from so many who share this unexpected moment verifies to all of us that life is truly defined by the minutes of sweetness we experience each day.  Good bye, Dear Sally. Que sera, sera.