Thomas B. Robertson

Thomas Bailey Robertson, passed away Tuesday, March 19, 2024 . He was born September 30, 1944 in Madison, Wisconsin. Tom lived in many cities throughout his childhood including Portland, Oregon and Brooklyn, Stoughton, Mauston, and Evansville in Wisconsin. He graduated from Evansville High School in 1962. Tom earned a B.S. in Secondary Social Studies education in 1968 from the Wisconsin State University-Platteville and earned a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the UW Madison in 1976. Tom met Sandra Kay Miller, his life-long partner, on a blind date in the summer of 1964 and they married in June of 1968.

Tom started his teaching career in the fall of 1968 as a teacher, football coach, and tennis coach at Middleton High School. After two years he continued teaching and coaching at Sun Prairie High School from 1970 - 2000.  Tom proudly taught United States history, European history, current affairs, government, and political science. He was the social studies department chairperson for years, was a Taft Institute Scholar, and he graded Advanced Placement U.S. History tests at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas for many years. Tom was passionate about helping his students connect to historical events through storytelling, Socratic dialogue, and obscure details about historical figures. Tom was the founder and advisor of Sun Prairie High School’s Academic Decathlon Team or as his students renamed it “Smart Team.”  He enjoyed the challenge of motivating students from all levels of ability to engage in critical thinking.

Tom became involved in politics and government as an undergraduate at WSU-P serving as vice president of their Young Republicans chapter, helped establish a History Club and served on their Student Governing Board. Later, he had a leadership role in the local teacher’s union, where he served as president, vice president, and as a negotiator for the union. He was also elected as a City Alderman and served on the Sun Prairie City Council from 1973-1976. Tom believed in civic and personal responsibility and acted on it throughout his life. 

Throughout his life, Tom traveled the world. He and Sandi explored all 50 of the United States together and with their children. Most of the time they traveled by car and camped in National Parks. Tom also made many fishing trips to Canada with his brother-in-law and friends. After retirement, Tom and Sandi traveled internationally to Australia, New Zealand, Chile, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Netherlands, Hungary, and Austria. He loved to visit the places that he studied in history and was always fascinated by the people and customs of the world.

Tom is survived by his wife, Sandra (Monona, WI), son Craig and wife Laurie, their children Jack and Elizabeth (Madison, WI), and his daughter Heather and husband Troy, their children Cassidy, Connor, and Thomas (Antioch, IL). He is survived by his sister Jane and her husband Dick Jones, his sister-in-law Jean Robertson, as well as his nieces and nephews: Scott Jones, Julie Robertson, Dan Robertson, and Andy Robertson. His brother James Robertson passed away two days after Tom. They were preceded in death by their parents Jean and Mead Robertson.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 10-12:00 PM on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at Cress Funeral Home, 1310 Emerald Terrace, Sun Prairie, WI 53590 with a memorial service to begin at 12:00 PM (noon). If you are not able to join us in person, please register at the following link to view the service: https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=f51655f8-299a-4325-9ed0-bd92ffbd7bc7.  

Memorials in Tom's memory are appreciated to the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Donate to LWVWI | MyLO.
 
 Cress Funeral Home Sun Prairie
 608-837-9054