John Boyack Robertson
John Boyack Robertson
1933 ~ 2024
John Boyack Robertson: Born, March 21, 1933 of John Dewey and Irene Rice Robertson, he passed his secure childhood in Ogden, Utah. He became a young adult in Blackfoot, Idaho where he graduated from Blackfoot High School in 1951. He was the editor of his high school year book. And was active in the Boy Scouts receiving his Eagle Scout when he was 14 years old. John began his post-secondary education in the fall of 1951 at BYU, specializing in the sciences related to geology. His mother commanding him to write home every week. Letter writing became a lifelong, edifying habit.
After two years at BYU, he interrupted his studies to serve a thirty-one-month mission for the Lord in France. He worked in Grenoble, Paris, Marseille and Orleans. Returning in July of 1956, to Idaho State College, he changed his major to avoid a math class and graduated with a BA in French language and literature. He also finished Army ROTC there and entered military service, reporting to basic officers’ training at Fort Benning, Georgia, 6 August 1958.
During the winter of 1957-1958, he met Joyce Burke whom he married on July 2, 1958 in the Idaho Falls Temple. Of this union five children were born: Auna‑Lisa, Rynell, Larene, John‑Michael and David‑Jonathan Burke.
His military service ended on August 5, 1961 after serving as a platoon leader in the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, helicopter pilot training at Camp Walters, Texas and Fort Rucker, Alabama, final military assignment: Aviation company of the Fourth Infantry Division, at Fort Lewis, Washington.
He then returned to Idaho State University for education courses leading to “teacher certification” and a teaching position at Snake River High School where he taught French, German and English classes from 1962 until the spring of 1965. He received for that fall a National Defense Education Act grant and moved with his family to Tucson, Arizona, and to the University of Arizona, where he received his Ph.D. in French Literature in 1972. His dissertation treated the military thoughts of Michel Eyquem, Lord of Montaigne (1533-1594). His first university assignment was at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, teaching there 1970-1974. He finished his career at Boise State University, retiring in June of 1997.
From the time of his baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, until incapacitated, he has served in various callings — presidencies of Aaronic Priesthood quorums, Stake Seventies quorums and High Priest groups, Champaign Illinois Stake Mission president, Meridian South Stake Sunday School president. He served more than twenty years as a stake missionary, taught in many classes, served fifteen years in the Boise Idaho Temple and has been at all times devoted to the Lord, Jesus Christ.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Rynell, who succumbed to leukemia, May 28, 1969 in Tucson, Arizona and his wife, Joyce Burke on 3 October 2015 to complications of diabetes. He is survived by his four remaining children, thirteen grandchildren, and twelve great‑grandchildren.
On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, there is to be a viewing from 9:30-10:30 am at the Northfield 7th Ward building (105 West 1800 North, Pleasant Grove, Utah) followed by the Funeral Service at 11:00 am.
On Thursday, July 18 2024, at 10:00 am, there is to be a graveside service at the Taylor Cemetery, 5.2 miles due east of Shelley Idaho (720 E 129 S, Idaho Falls, Idaho).