William Robertson

William Edward "Moose" Robertson, formerly of Dodson and Malta, Mont., passed away March 31, 2015, at home in Bruneau, Idaho.

Bill was born Dec. 6, 1934, in Dodson, Mont., the youngest of three children of William B. and Sylvia M. Robertson. He grew up on the family homestead and graduated from Dodson High School in 1952.

After graduation, Bill operated a mucker while raising a section of the county road that runs south of Dodson connecting to Highway 191. This was the start of a long and varied career operating heavy equipment.

Bill studied Diesel Mechanics at Northern Montana College in Havre while also working nights in the roundhouse for the Great Northern Railroad. One of his favorite memories of the time is that the crew spent an entire night polishing the locomotive for President Harry Truman's "Whistle Stop Tour."

Bill left college after a semester to return to work on the farm for a short time after his father suffered a heart attack. He then returned to working in construction.

Bill married Marie Webb on Jan. 30, 1958. They lived throughout Wyoming and Montana while Bill worked on various construction jobs, such as the Minuteman Missile sites, paving Malta's streets and rebuilding Highway 2.

In 1959, shortly before their son Ed was born, Bill took over the operation of his parents' farm south of Dodson. A few years later, their daughter, Ruth was born. Bill continued to do heavy construction work while farming and raising cattle.

In 1970, Bill and Marie began to raise registered Maine-Anjou cattle. A heifer from their first calf crop was the high selling heifer of the 1971 Exotics North Sale and later went on to sell for $10,000 at the Western National in Denver.

Major changes came in 1974 as Bill and Marie packed up their family and cow herd and moved them to Idaho. They continued to raise cattle and farm south of Bruneau until the kids were grown and gone. The call of Caterpillar yellow paint brought about a return to construction and an eventual circle of returning to live at Malta and in 2003 back to Bruneau.

Bill was preceded in death by both parents; both sisters, Margaret and Vera; and an infant great-grandson. He is survived by Marie, his loving wife of 57 years; his son, Ed and wife Vivian of Paso Robles, Calif.; his daughter, Ruth and husband Peter Jackson Jr. of Riddle, Idaho; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grand children.

Funeral services will be held Monday, April 6, 2015 at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Hall in Bruneau. Graveside services and interment will be at the Malta Cemetery, in Malta, Mont., on April 8, 2015, at 11 a.m. Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home, Idaho.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bruneau Community Church Building Fund, C/O Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey, 500 No. 18th East, Mountain Home, ID 83647, or to the Bruneau Quick Response Unit, P.O. Box 294, Bruneau, ID 83604.