Mr. William Robert Robotham

William Robert Robotham of Scituate, Massachusetts was born November 17, 1912, and died peacefully at home on September 21, 2014, surrounded by family. Bob was born in Philadelphia, Penn., and was raised in Collingswood, N.J. After Pearl Harbor Bob enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was a “90 Day Wonder” after officer training in Nashville and in Homestead, Florida. He subsequently spent the years of World War II in the CBI or China, Burma, India Theatre, initially opening new airfields to provide transport of fuel over “The Hump” across the Himalayas to bomber bases in Western China. After that he was in charge of weights & measures, to balance the cargo payloads that flew with him on board over the Himalayas. Bob left the army with the rank of Captain.

Bob was married in 1946 to Rosemary A. McLaughlin of Brighton, Mass., after meeting through letter-writing circles during the war. They lived in Hyde Park and thereafter in Scituate, Mass. Bob ran a one-person advertising agency in Boston, with offices downtown. He was a member of the 4A’s and active in the Sales and Marketing Execs of Boston. He was an avid photographer all his life, and a passionate swimmer who continued snorkeling well into his 90’s and swimming all through his final summer. He was also a hiker, traveling the Alps into his 80’s.

Bob is survived by four children: Dr. James Robotham and his wife Anne of Baltimore, M.D., Marianne Robotham of Lyndon Center, Vt., John Robotham and his wife Suzanne of Belmont, Mass., and Thomas Robotham and his wife Mary Ellen Schloss of Scituate, Mass., 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

There will be visiting hours at Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home, 382 First Parish Rd, Scituate on Wednesday, September 24 from 10 am to noon, followed by a private burial.