Ellen "Gaye" Robertson

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 12th at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan from 4-8pm. The funeral services will be held Friday, November 13th at 10:30 in the morning at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan with burial services following at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

Born November 9, 1925 to Walter G. and Geneva L. (Bounds) Sullivan in Crawford County, Arkansas. She graduated 1944, an honor student from Alma, Arkansas, she was active in her school having lettered 3 years in basketball, she had the lead in her senior play, sang in the choir and was class poet.

World War II was in progress and her father died the same year so she went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Ft. Smith, Arkansas instead of college. Shortly after she was sent to help train operators and the towns people how to use their new dial phones in Camden, Arkansas. They had previously used operators “number please” to communicate. It was there she met John Paul Perrone (with the Naval Ordinance) from Hearne, TX. They married April 7, 1946. World War II had ended and they moved to Bryan in 1947. They were blessed with two children Paul Steven Perrone and Ruth Ellyn Perrone. Shortly after Ruth Ellyn was born she went back to work for the Southwestern States Telephone Company General Telephone/Verizon. She was there 33 years and in supervision 28 of those years as floor supervisor, business office supervisor, assignment foreman, second line supervisor, oversaw the conversion from rotary dial to touch dial phone for the Bryan/College Station area and opened for the company the first Phone Mart in the Bryan/College Station area.

She retired in 1984. She volunteered at St. Joseph Hospital (The Pink Ladies) for 25 years after her retirement. In the early years she was a member of Business and Professional Women Club and Altrusa Club. She then became involved in Pioneer Women’s Club and was President for 2 years. She was President of the St. Joseph’s Auxiliary/Volunteers, 1993, President of the Women’s Civic League, President of the American Legion Auxiliary 2002-2004.

She was a faithful member of Wesley United Methodist Church. She served as communion steward for a number of years and decorated the church and alter until 2014.

She was preceded in death by husbands John Paul Perrone, the father of her children, and A.J. Manning, “Papa” to her grandchildren. Her parents Walter and Geneva Sullivan, sisters Ruth Hall, Mildred Nunley, and Robbie Waltermire-Miller niece Reba Carney and two loving mother-in-laws Vincie Perrone and Iona Manning.

Survivors are her children Steve Perrone and Ruth Ellyn Perrone, grandchildren Steven Perrone and wife Keri, Jamie Ruth and husband Darrell Thomas, great-grandchildren Scarlet and Damian Spikes, River Bexar Thomas and Trinity Ruth Perrone, nieces Donna Brown and Kay Smith of Rudy Arkansas, Joyce Mutschink and husband Steve of Mason Texas, nephews Judge John Hall and wife Sue of Rudy Arkansas, Jimmy Scarpinato and wife Jerry of Franklin, Texas and many great nieces, great nephews and great friends.