Joe Robertson

Bill Robertson (Cousin): My cousin Joe Robertson (class of ’75, I think) has died from cancer. I just wanted to alert those who knew him. Windsor alum from those years may remember Joe as a handsome, bright, physically well-sculpted, confident young man full of great promise who loved soccer and hockey and was keenly into the Human Relations class taught by the Yorks. Please remember Joe that way.

Mental illness and drug addiction led him down a sadder path, full of cycles of catastrophe and reinvention. At various points he pursued the study of history, tai chi, acupressure, demolition, library science and freelance academic editing. In between these pursuits were catastrophic episodes of mania and drug abuse that led him to dark places, where a physical and emotional toll was taken. He always worked to reclaim his life, but ultimately, in the end, he lived on the unhappy fringes.

If you would, remember the young man you went to school with and send a kind thought about him out into the universe to travel to wherever you personally believe kind thoughts reside.

Henry Bills: Hi Bill Robertson, Thanks for sharing this difficult post. Sorry for your loss. Joe and I were good friends at WMS. We spent a lot of time with Gene Marciniak and Rick Ruffin playing soccer, basketball and tennis (I think Joe was the only one of us who could play hockey). I lost touch with Joe after WMS but about 10 years ago he called me. We exchanged a handful of phone calls since then but never really kept in touch. I hadn’t seen Joe since 1974 but I’ll definitely remember the athletic, outgoing and outspoken Joe Robertson. RIP

Forest Tead: Joe was one of the first people I met at Windsor. He gave my parents and I a tour of the grounds. He facetimed me about 4 months ago and we spoke for an hour plus. He was very candid about what he had been going through and was highly animated. He said no one else had answered. It was kind of bittersweet, he knee what was happening and seemed to accept it. It was a wild, yet moving conversation and I’m glad I answered. RIP Joe.