Robertson to lead state funeral group

GALVESTON – Third-generation funeral director Chuck Robertson of Clarendon was elected to head the Texas Funeral Directors Association during their 132nd Annual Convention in Galveston last week.

Robertson is the president and CEO of Robertson Funeral Directors with offices in Clarendon, Claude, McLean, Memphis, Shamrock, and Wheeler.

Founded in 1886, TFDA is the largest professional organization of funeral service professionals in Texas and the largest National Funeral Directors Association affiliate association of funeral directors in the country.

Robertson is not only the youngest director to be elected TFDA president but also is only the sixth resident of the Texas Panhandle to head the association in its 132-year history.

A 2003 graduate of Clarendon High School, Robertson is the son of the late Patrick Robertson and his wife Vicky and the grandson of the late Delbert and Patsy Robertson, all of Clarendon. When his birth mother, Edie, passed away, Chuck was only two, thus he grew up, living with his grandparents at the family’s funeral home.
“I’ve grown up with funeral service always in my life,” Robertson said.

His first job at the funeral home was helping his grandfather dig graves (a job that continued until six years ago). “I learned at an early age to play quietly during funeral services, and if I needed something when my grandparents or dad was on the phone, to whisper,” he recalled.

In his presidential acceptance speech, he remembered his grandparents and his father, thanking them for instilling the values and the compassion needed to counsel families after the loss of a loved one. He also thanked his mother Vicky and his wife Amanda for their support of his personal and professional goals as well as his journey to the TFDA presidency.

“Shortly after we married, my wife and I were talking about our individual goals as well as our goals as a couple and a family,” Robertson remembered. “Among my goals was the opportunity to, someday, lead TFDA. In achieving this goal, my wife has been my cheerleader, my rock, and my best friend and advisor.”

Originally a mass communications major in college, the new TFDA president and his cousin Cameron decided to change their majors to funeral service and enrolled in the mortuary science associate degree program at Amarillo College.

“My grandfather wanted me to be a funeral director all along,” he said, “but my dad told me to follow my dreams. Since making my decision that day in 2003, I’ve never looked back, never regretted my decision and, to this day, feel privileged to serve the families of the Panhandle during this very difficult – probably the worst – time in their lives.

Robertson and his cousin earned their professional licenses in August 2005.
Like his father and grandfather, Chuck Robertson has been a member of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department since 2003, where he currently serves the rank of Captain/EMT and Secretary/Treasurer. He also is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and is a member and certified firefighter through the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association and as an EMT, is with the Associated Ambulance Authority/Clarendon EMS (since October 2004) and with the Shamrock Emergency Medical Service since 2015. His wife Amanda also has been an EMT with North Wheeler County since 2005.
Robertson enters the office of TFDA President with humility but also with a sense of pride.

“My grandfather, with my grandmother by his side, served our community as a funeral director for more than 60 years. My father, also a funeral director, was a commissioner on the Texas Funeral Service Commission, appointed by Gov. Rick Perry.”

Robertson is the current president of the Citizens Cemetery Association in Clarendon, served as the President of the Panhandle Funeral Directors Association from 2010-2012 and served on the board of directors for Panhandle Funeral Directors Association from 2008-2013 and came back on the board in 2015-2016. He also served on the Texas Funeral Directors Association Board of Directors from 2009-2012. Chuck is currently President for Texas Funeral Directors Association for 2018-2019 year. In 2016-2017 he served as Secretary/Treasurer, 2017-2018 he served as President-Elect of TFDA. He is also a lifetime member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice where he achieved his Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) certification in September 2008.

Robertson also is a member of the Clarendon and Memphis Lions clubs and has served as Past President for Clarendon. He is also a member of the Shamrock Rotary Club where he served as Past President and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Chuck is currently serving his second term on the Clarendon CISD Board of Trustees. Prior to being elected to the school board, he served on the CISD District Improvement Committee for four years. Chuck was awarded by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce for the 2009 Man of the Year.

“As the third generation of funeral directors in my family, I am responsible for carrying on this legacy of sacred trust as I serve the families of the Texas Panhandle.
“I look forward to additionally contributing to our state association of professionals, building its reputation in Texas as an outstanding and highly-valued group of servant leaders who not only serve their communities in times of personal loss but also are first responders in times of man-made disasters, such as the explosion that destroyed half of the city of West, Texas, as well as natural disasters, like the recent storms and flooding brought ashore by Hurricane Harvey.”

Robertson and his wife Amanda live in Clarendon with his son Jaxon and their dog Duke.