Carter W. "Robbie" Roberson enjoyed traveling along the coasts of California, Washington and Oregon, and he could be counted on as a fishing companion.
But golf "was the most important thing to him," said his wife, Eleanor Roberson."For him it was about getting outdoors, being outside and being with his friends," said Mr. Roberson's son, Mark Roberson. "He usually played with the same group of guys."Mr. Roberson, 85, died Wednesday in his Fresno home after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was business manager for The Fresno Bee from 1973 until he retired in 1986.Mark Roberson said the grace and dignity with which his father faced the final months of his life inspired friends and family members.Mr. Roberson was born in McKinney, Texas, and attended North Texas State Teachers College. In 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy.Mr. Roberson started a 39-year career at The Bee in 1947 selling advertising. He became manager over national advertising in 1959.Mr. Roberson became assistant to the business manager in 1971 and business manager two years later. Mr. Roberson married Patricia Ann Petersen in 1948. She died in 2001. In 2003, Mr. Roberson married Eleanor Crennan, who also had worked at The Bee. She retired in 1994 after working in the business office and the credit union at the newspaper.