Martha Lee Messick Robertson

Serenity and peace are the hope of all when it comes to the end of a life. On Tuesday, January 24, 2012, God quietly came and took Martha Lee Messick Robertson to join Him in her eternal home. Martha was the daughter of Raymond and Ella Messick, born in Roanoke, VA, on June 10, 1923. She was preceded in death by her parents; beloved husband, Ernest Pig Robertson; son, Ernest Lee Robertson; and brother, Raymond Ring Messick. Leaving to cherish her many happy memories are her daughter, Karen Brooks Robertson; son, William Barry Robertson; granddaughters, Ashlee Robertson Manning and Megan Michelle Robertson; great-grandchildren, Parker, Piper, and Payden Manning; and numerous nieces and nephews. Martha was loved by many, leaving a mark on anyone that she touched. There truly has never been a woman like her. So vibrant and sensational, she was a true lady. Martha continued her husbands legacy of the Ernest Pig Robertson Trout Fishing Rodeo held for children at Lake Spring Park in Salem, VA. After her husband passed, she added events for special needs children and nursing home patients. She was ambitious, competitive, loved being social, and being an amazing hostess, as shown by their Christmas Day open houses. Martha would always have that finishing touch of Cherries In The Snow lipstick as she smiled to light up a room. Whether it be dancing in the kitchen to Frank Sinatra or playing a fierce game of bridge, anyone that met her knew that she was a firecracker. Each of her family members has such a unique and wonderful memory of her, and the way she inspired each of our lives, it is a true testimonial of what a remarkable, one of a kind woman she truly was. In lieu of flowers, Martha requested that donations be made to the Ernest Pig Robertson Trout Fishing Rodeo through the Salem Parks and Recreation Department at 640 Florida Street in Salem, VA 24153. Services will be held in the Sherwood Memorial Park Abbey in Salem on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 11 a.m. The Reverend Mike Steryous and the Reverend Daniel Freeland will be officiating. The Robertson family is being served by John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home in Salem, 540-389-5441.